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March 12
North Dakota Trade Office
Imports from A-Z
Fargo, ND
March 15 - 19
ICPA Annual Conference
Ft. Worth, TX
April 19 - 22
NCBFAA Annual Conference
Orlando, FL
May 6 - 8
WCO IT Conference & Exhibition
Bahamas
May 14
C-TPAT Road to Certification Webinar
May 31 - June 2
AAEI Annual Conference
Arlington, VA
June 7 - 9
ICPA EU Compliance Conference
Berlin, Germany
June 17 - 26 WCO Knowledge Academy Brussels, Belgium More Info/Register
August 20
C-TPAT Road to Certification Webinar
October 27 - 29
WCO 5th Technology & Innovation Forum
Rotterdam, the Netherlands More Info/Register November 2 - 3
The 28th Annual
Global Trade Controls & Compliance Conference
London, UK More Info/Register |
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Welcome to the March 2015 edition of the Trade Update. For those winter-weary readers (especially those in the northeast and in the grip of another storm) take heart; when you open next month's edition it will be spring!
Also, next month Trade Innovations celebrates it's 10- year anniversary. We're looking for some fun ideas to commemorate the event...if you've got some please pass them along to info@tradeinnovations.com.
The Trade Innovations team is committed to providing timely, accurate, and unique approaches to customs and supply chain security compliance. With the growing complexity of trade compliance rules and regulations in which companies engaged in global trade must be aware, we are passionate in our efforts to keep the trade community informed. It is in that spirit that we offer this newsletter to you. The Trade Update is published on the first Wednesday of every month.
Our team stands ready to assist you and you with your customs and supply chain security programs. The Principals of Trade Innovations have a broad background in customs compliance, supply chain and global security and we are confident that our approach will fit your unique challenges and opportunities.
Please share! Feel free to circulate our newsletter to your social media network, we appreciate the exposure and it's the only way we cultivate new readers. Share buttons may be found in the upper left-hand corner and you can Forward this e-mail by scrolling to the bottom section.
Thank you for taking time from your schedule to peruse our newsletter. We may be reached via e-mail at info@tradeinnovations.com or by telephone at 952.975.9099.
Sincerely,
The Trade Innovations Team
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Trade News Briefs
Relevant News for Trade Professionals
Bill Funding DHS Moves to the President
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is back in business and flush with cash, or at least they will be when the President signs the bill. The U.S. House of Representatives voted yesterday to enact a clean full-year appropriations bill for the DHS. The measure is now on its way to the White House where the President is expected to sign it.
The bill provides $39.7 billion for DHS operations and security missions in FY-2015. Passage of this measure removes any concerns expressed that DHS, including parts of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, would go dark or with significantly reduced resources in the event that DHS remained unfunded. The measure became controversial and stalled out in direct response to immigration reform planned by the Administration.
GAO Report on Supply Chain Security
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has published a 41-page report on Supply Chain Security. A one page summary is also available. Both documents can be downloaded below.
According to the GAO Summary, from fiscal years 2009 through 2013, less than 1 percent of maritime shipments arriving in the United States were identified as high risk by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), but CBP does not have accurate data on their disposition (i.e., outcomes). CBP officials (targeters) are generally required to hold high-risk shipments for examination unless evidence shows that an examination can be waived per CBP policy. In particular, targeters at Advance Targeting Units (targeting units)-responsible for reviewing shipments arriving at ports within their respective regions-can waive an examination if they determine through research that (1) the shipment falls within a predetermined category (standard exception), or (2) they can articulate why the shipment should not be considered high risk (articulable reason), such as an error in the shipment's data. (more follows)
Shippers Heave a Sigh of Relief
 The U.S. west coast labor disruption has been tentatively settled and cargo is beginning to flow again. Full crews (called gangs), night and weekend gates and extra shifts are among the tactics that labor and management are using to clear the overcrowded west coast ports. Although, by some estimates it will take 6-8 weeks or longer for supply chains and terminal operations to fully recover.
The congestion problems are further compounded by a chassis shortage. There is an imbalance of equipment and some of the chassis are reportedly in a state of disrepair and not road worthy. Remember, the issue of chassis and chassis maintenance was one of the more contentious negotiating points in recently concluded talks. Additionally, the railroads are scrambling to re-position equipment to the west coast.
Some industry-watchers are predicting a much welcomed "freight storm" in the coming weeks or a "freighticane".
CBP Commissioner Announces Integrity Advisory Panel
CBP Gil Kerlikowske has announced a new CBP Integrity Advisory Panel during a badging ceremony at CBP Headquarters on March 3rd. According to a CBP Press Release, the Homeland Security Advisory Council's CBP Integrity Advisory Panel is a new subcommittee under the Homeland Security Advisory Council tasked with benchmarking CBP's progress in response to CBP use of force reviews and the DHS OIG report, as well as identifying best practices from federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement on integrity incident prevention and transparency pertaining to incident response and discipline.
The panel will also provide recommendations on how to ensure CBP develops effective capabilities for investigating criminal misconduct within its ranks and recommendations to help CBP more effectively address the significant threat of corruption by evaluating CBP's progress toward development of intra-departmental agreements and CBP's continued commitment to and support of the Department of Justice's Border corruption Task Force. (more follows)
To read the entire article, CBP Press Release or to download an Adobe copy of CBP's Integrity and Personal Accountability Strategy please follow this link: CBP Integrity Advisory Panel
ACE Outreach Scheduled for Portland, OR
 CBP has announced an ACE (Automated Commercial Environment) Outreach event on March 10, 2015 in Portland, OR. The event is free of charge however advanced registration is required; and space is limited. The event will run from 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm. It will be held at the Fred Meyer/Kroger Conference Center located at 3600 SE 22nd Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97202. The agenda will cover impending ACE mandatory dates, new ACE functionality and upcoming ACE deployments. (more follows)
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Three Importers pay $3M for False Claims
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced that three U.S. based importers will pay more than $3 million to resolve a lawsuit brought by the United States under the False Claims Act alleging that the companies engaged in schemes to evade customs duties on imports of aluminum extrusions from the People's Republic of China (PRC). The companies sell shower doors and shower enclosures made with the PRC-manufactured aluminum extrusions. (more follows)
$16M for FCPA Violations
 The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced that a U.S. company will pay more than $16 million to settle charges that it violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). According to the SEC Press Release the company failed to prevent or detect more than $3.2 million in bribes during a four-year period due to inadequate FCPA compliance controls at its subsidiaries in sub-Saharan Africa. Bribes were generally paid in cash to employees of private companies or government-owned entities as well as other local authorities such as police or city council officials. (more follows)
To read the entire article or to download an Adobe copy of the SEC Order or SEC Press Release please follow this link:
$16M for FCPA Violations
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