Two of CBP's offices in Washington state will close a half hour early beginning March 18, said CBP Seattle in a Trade Information Notice (TIN). The two offices, the Nevada Street Trade Office and the Port of Tacoma Office will operate from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., the notice said. Those offices currently operate through 5 p.m.
CBP Assistant Commissioner of the Office of International Trade Al Gina is unable to attend the Trade and Transportation Conference April 3 in person due to a freeze on non-essential travel related to government budget cuts, said the Coalition of New England Companies for Trade (CONECT). Gina will still give the keynote on April 3, but will now appear via live Webcast, said CONECT.
CBP will host a Webinar to discuss its pilot program using the Participating Government Agency (PGA) Message Set within the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE), said CBP in a CSMS message. The Webinar is scheduled for March 20 from 2-4 p.m. ET, said CBP. "While this webinar is not intended to cover how the pilots will be deployed, the webinar will cover available information on how the pilots will operate," it said. The Environmental Protection Agency "will discuss the specifics of their pilot using the PGA Message Set data elements for ozone-depleting substances, and vehicles and engines," and the Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) " will discuss the specifics of their pilot using the PGA Message Set for products covered by the Import Inspection Application, the FSIS Form 9540-1."
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related issues:
A listing of recent antidumping and countervailing duty messages from the International Trade Administration posted to CBP's website March 12, along with the case number(s) and CBP message number, is provided below. The messages are available by searching for the listed CBP message number at addcvd.cbp.gov. (CBP occasionally adds backdated messages without otherwise indicating which message was added. ITT will include a message date in parentheses in such cases.)
CBP and ICE's Homeland Security Investigations arrested a California man for selling Cialis, Viagra and Levitra over Craigslist, said CBP in a press release. CBP first became suspicious when it intercepted several parcels addressed to Nathan Welter from China containing counterfeit drugs, said CBP. Welter, who is now charged with eight counts of trafficking in counterfeit goods, pleaded not guilty on March 8, said CBP. Each count carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up $2 million, the agency said.
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related issues:
A listing of recent antidumping and countervailing duty messages from the International Trade Administration posted to CBP's website March 11, along with the case number(s) and CBP message number, is provided below. The messages are available by searching for the listed CBP message number at addcvd.cbp.gov. (CBP occasionally adds backdated messages without otherwise indicating which message was added. ITT will include a message date in parentheses in such cases.)
The San Francisco Client Representative Office will be closed through March 18, said CBP in a CSMS message. In the meantime, contact the Seattle, Blaine, Wash. or Long Beach, Calif. client representatives, the message said.
CBP issued its weekly tariff rate quota and tariff preference level commodity report as of March 11. This report includes TRQs on various products such as beef, sugar, dairy products, peanuts, cotton, cocoa products, and tobacco; and certain BFTA, DR-CAFTA, Israel FTA, JFTA, MFTA, OFTA, SFTA, UAFTA (AFTA) and UCFTA (Chile FTA) non-textile TRQs etc. Each report also includes the AGOA, ATPDEA, BFTA, DR-CAFTA, CBTPA, Haitian HOPE, MFTA, NAFTA, OFTA, SFTA, and UCFTA TPLs and TRQs for qualifying textile articles and/or other articles; the TRQs on worsted wool fabrics, etc.