Tag: Compliance
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Four weeks before 100 percent Section 232 pharmaceutical tariffs extend to every importer, smaller drugmakers race for US manufacturing capacity, exemption deals, and answers WASHINGTON, September 1, 2026: With the calendar turning to September, the pharmaceutical industry entered the final four weeks before the most consequential deadline in modern drug trade policy: on September 29,…
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With 132 billion dollars in invalidated IEEPA tariffs moving through CBP’s refund pipeline, a delayed third phase, 1.7 billion dollars stranded over missing bank details, and a government appeal threaten to slow the largest duty giveback in American history WASHINGTON, September 1, 2026: The largest customs refund operation ever attempted by the United States government…
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China issues a sweeping blocking order against the European Union’s foreign subsidy investigation of JD.com, escalating a regulatory standoff that could reshape how Chinese companies do deals in Europe BEIJING, Aug. 20, 2026 China has ordered its companies and citizens not to cooperate with a European Union subsidy investigation into e-commerce giant JD.com, deploying its…
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Australia withdraws dormant tariff concessions on eight product lines, lifting duties from zero to 5 percent and reminding importers that unused concessions have a shelf life SYDNEY, August 19, 2026 The Australian government on Tuesday published a gazette notice withdrawing import tariff concessions on eight categories of goods, lifting the applicable customs duty from zero…
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Introduction: Import Before You Import You have found a great product, negotiated a price with a manufacturer overseas, and you are ready to place your first order. Before you do, stop and ask yourself: do I understand the tariff implications of this import? The duties you will owe, the compliance obligations you are accepting, and…
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Introduction: When Spreadsheets Are Not Enough Every import compliance program starts with spreadsheets. Classification databases in Excel, duty payment tracking in a shared drive, certificate of origin records in a filing cabinet. For small importers with a limited product portfolio, this approach can work. But as import volume grows, product complexity increases, and regulatory requirements…
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Introduction: It Is Not If, But When If you import goods into the United States with any regularity, a CBP audit is not a theoretical risk. It is a statistical probability. CBP operates several audit programs, including the Focused Assessment program, which systematically evaluates importers’ compliance systems and transaction practices. The selection criteria are based…
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Introduction: Penalties Are Not Reserved for Bad Actors There is a common misconception that customs penalties are only imposed on businesses that are deliberately trying to cheat the system. In reality, the vast majority of penalty cases involve honest mistakes: classification errors, valuation oversights, documentation gaps, and procedural failures committed by businesses that simply did…
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Trading with Ukraine: Customs, Duties & Compliance in a Wartime Economy Ukraine’s customs and trade environment operates under extraordinary circumstances: an active military conflict, reconstruction priorities, and unprecedented international support frameworks. For importers and exporters engaging in Ukraine trade, understanding customs procedures, duty structures, martial law trade measures, sanctions, and logistics challenges is essential. This…