June 13, 2018
In This Issue
CONECTivity Magazine
  • Who We Are
  • What We Do
  • How We Can Help You
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BRONZE PARTNER 
 
REGISTRATION IS OPEN:
U.S. TRADE WITH CANADA
June 26 | Clarks Americas, Inc, Waltham, MA 

CONECT presents a "U.S. Trade with Canada" seminar at Clarks Americas, Inc, Waltham, MA, along with event partner, Canadian Consulate of New England.  Consul General David Alward's keynote address is on " The Importance of NAFTA to Massachusetts Companies and the Regional Economy."  Other presentations will be made by Middleton & Shrull, 
U.S. Customs & Border Protection, the Canada Border Services Agency,  and the New England-Canada Business Council. Click here for details.

Spring Cargo Tour Sells Out
Register Now for Fall Tour!
med ship

This Thursday's CONECT Cargo Facilities Tour was a fast sell-out, with an unusually high number of CONECT Young Professionals (CYPs) signed on. The weather looks promising, and the cargo ship is on schedule for viewing at Conley Terminal. CBP and OGA are standing by, ready to answer the group's import-related questions, and Tony C's Restaurant is reserving a private area for the group's luncheon and photo op. Logan Airport staffers are poised for their live aviation action presentation, and BFT's warehouse will welcome the group and host CBP's K9 detection demonstration, a semi-annual crowd favorite.

To ensure your space on the October 4th tour, book now! 

Changes at CONECT
CONECT Bids a Fond Farewell

One of CONECT's most valuable assets has been Business Manager Stefanie Jessiman, who will sadly be leaving CONECT at the end of June.  Stefanie is pulling up stakes to make a move to Connecticut, after 10 years of excellent service at CONECT's office in Southboro, MA.  She will be missed dearly, and we all wish her the best of luck in her next phase of life.  If you wish to send Stefanie a message, contact her at sjessiman@conect.org until Thursday, June 28 th.

CONECT Welcomes Karen Gadbois 
 
Karen Gadbois has been recently hired as CONECT's new
Karen Gadbois
Business Manager.  She is a welcome addition, and will work alongside staff at the Southboro, MA office. Karen joins CONECT with excellent qualifications, a strong finance background, and valuable experience working within the non-profit arena.   She looks forward to meeting CONECT's members at upcoming events, so keep your eye peeled for her and do say hello.  Karen's email address will be Kgadbois@conect.org. 

DC Update from Ray Bucheger
The Trump Administration's trade policy has been eclectic,chaotic, and difficult to figure out. While it is tempting for corporate leaders to throw their hands in the air in exasperation, the stakes are too high. Whether talking about import duties on solar panels or washing machines; the 232 investigation into steel and aluminum imports, resulting in import duties on these items from friends and foes alike; the 232 investigation into automobile imports; or the 301 investigation into Chinese trade practices, American companies have a lot to lose. And that is not even counting the retaliation that has resulted from many of these actions.
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CONECT member login:

  • Sign into the CONECT website and enter your email and member password 
  • From the Menu bar: Choose 'Resource' tab > "View from the Hill"
Save the Dates for Two Classification Events this Fall
September 20th: Day 1 - Chemical Classification 101
The program will include basic guidance and hands-on
practice on classifying chemicals materials in the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) Chapters 28, 29 and drugs in Chapter 30, Mixtures, classifying drugs and placebos including classification of compound libraries. Other topics include:
  • Overview of General Rules of Interpretation and application to chemical chapters
  • Definitions of chemistry terms necessary for classification
  • Chemical and Pharmaceutical Appendices
October 16th: Day 2 - Fundamentals of FDA Import Clearance Process and Advanced Chemical Classification

Morning: FDA will discuss drug commodity data elements required during the import entry process, and we will exam the current systems utilized to report the required data in ACE and Predict.

Afternoon: Advanced chemical classification training will build on the concepts presented in the full day basic training. It will include discussions involving heterocyclic compounds and complex compounds. We will work through classification examples

Instructor: Andrea Abraham, Customs and International Trade Law, Meeks, Sheppard, Leo & Pillsbury
Moderator: Luiz da Costa, Associate Director, Global Import-Export & Trade Compliance, Takeda Pharmaceutical International, Ltd.
Speakers: CBP and FDA local offices will be invited


REGISTRATION WILL OPEN SHORTLY
Other Industry Events
June 14 Mass Export Center: Export Regulatory Compliance Update

Guest Speaker: Matthew S. Borman, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration
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June 19









 Maritime Global Technologies Innovation Center (MGTIC) at SUNY Maritime 
Startup Showcase Event 

Innovative startups will pitch their products and ideas for an audience of New York's founder and maritime communities. MGTIC's Startup Showcase will feature panel discussions and product demonstrations. Light refreshments will be served.
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