SAN DIEGO -- Although CBP has yet to indicate exactly when the agency will publish details on the new continuing education requirement for customs brokers, the agency's final rule will come out in the "near term," an official said during an Oct. 19 panel discussion at the Western Cargo Conference (WESCCON). In the meantime, partner government agencies including the FDA are still hammering out details about what offerings they will provide for continuing education credit.
Licensed Customs Broker
Customs brokers are entities who assist importers in meeting federal requirements governing imports into the United States. Brokers can be private individuals, partnerships, associations or corporations licensed, regulated and empowered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Customs brokers oversee transactions related to customs entry and admissibility of merchandise, product classification, customs valuation, payment of duties, taxes, or other charges such as refunds, rebates, and duty drawbacks. To obtain a customs broker license, an individual must pass the U.S. Customs Broker License Exam. Customs brokers are not government employees and should not be confused with CBP officials. There are approximately 11,000 active licensed customs brokers in the United States.
A labor strike at U.S. East Coast and Gulf Coast ports appears poised to occur just after midnight on Oct. 1, despite any last-ditch efforts as of press time to prevent the strike from occurring.
Licensed customs brokers should expect to hear soon what the revised continuing education requirements will be to keep their customs broker licenses up to date.
The Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) for CBP will next meet Sept. 18 remotely and in person in Washington, D.C., starting at 1 p.m. EDT, CBP said in a notice. Comments are due by Sept. 13.
Sandler Travis hired two trade lawyers and an import compliance specialist to expand its trade service offerings, the law firm announced Aug. 23. Lawyer William Marshall will focus on import and supply chain issues while Narges Kahvazadeh will provide legal counsel on export controls and sanctions. Regina Walton, a licensed customs broker, joined the firm as an auditor with a focus on import compliance matters.
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters:
Registration for the Oct. 23 customs broker license exam (CBLE) is opening Aug. 12 at 12:01 a.m. EDT, CBP said in a message. Registration closes Sept. 11 at 4:30 p.m. EDT.
Witnesses at the annual African Growth and Opportunity Act eligibility review hearing contradicted an earlier comment from the Ethiopian government, which argued that Tigray has been relatively peaceful since November 2022, and basic services such as electricity, water, phone service, education and healthcare have been restored in the region. "Following widespread and substantial reforms of the food assistance structure, which allowed for enhanced oversight and beneficiary selection, USAID resumed food assistance across Ethiopia," Ethiopian representatives wrote.
CBP Executive Director for Trade Policy and Programs Brandon Lord told an audience during a Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee meeting that its work groups had offered "very thoughtful, forward-leaning recommendations," and that he was particularly excited about their new vision of a customs brokers exam.
Sandler Travis & Rosenberg, the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America's Educational Institute, Global Trade Professionals Alliance/E-Merchants Trade Council, International Compliance Professionals Association and TrüTrade Solutions have been chosen by CBP to provide continuing education hours for customs brokers renewing their licenses.