Tag: Free Trade Agreements
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Boutique independent vs mid-tier consulting (RSM, Cherry Bekaert, Baker Tilly, BDO). When mid-tier fits; when boutique is faster and cheaper.
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Introduction: CBSA Is Watching The Canada Border Services Agency conducts regular compliance verification activities targeting importers of all sizes. These range from targeted trade verifications to comprehensive audits examining an importer’s entire compliance program. CBSA’s data analytics capabilities have become increasingly sophisticated in identifying importers with potential compliance gaps. The financial consequences of a CBSA…
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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: Billions in Savings, Mostly Unclaimed The United States currently maintains free trade agreements with 20 countries, each offering reduced or zero-duty rates for goods that meet the agreement’s rules of origin. Collectively, these agreements offer importers access to duty savings that can completely eliminate the tariff burden. And yet, a substantial portion of eligible…
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Introduction: Relief Programs Most Businesses Do Not Know About The Canadian tariff system includes numerous relief and remission programs designed to reduce the duty burden on imported goods in specific circumstances. These programs exist to promote Canadian manufacturing competitiveness, support industries that depend on imported inputs, and encourage the use of Canada as a platform…
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Introduction: Your Right to Challenge Customs Decisions When you disagree with a CBP decision regarding the classification, valuation, rate of duty, or other aspect of a customs entry, you have a legal right to challenge that decision through the protest process established under 19 USC 1514. This right is fundamental to the customs system and…
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The Key to Duty-Free North American Trade CUSMA offers preferential treatment, often zero duty, for qualifying goods. The certification can be in any format as long as it contains nine prescribed data elements. This flexibility creates a trap – businesses sometimes provide incomplete certifications or issue them without proper origin analysis. Understanding CUSMA Rules of…
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Every Dollar of Duty Is a Dollar Off Your Margin There is often a significant gap between what importers actually pay and what they are required to pay. That gap exists because the tariff code is complex, multiple duty reduction mechanisms are available but underutilized, and most importers lack the specialized knowledge needed to optimize…
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The Scale and Complexity of Canada-U.S. Trade The Canada-United States trade relationship is the largest bilateral trade relationship in the world, with goods and services crossing the border valued at roughly two billion dollars every single day. Trade compliance consulting for cross-border operations requires an integrated understanding of how the two regulatory systems interact. CUSMA:…
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The Hidden Opportunity in Duty Refunds Every year, businesses leave billions of dollars on the table in overpaid customs duties. Whether through misclassification, failure to claim preferential tariff treatment, over-valuation, or simply not knowing that a refund mechanism exists, importers routinely pay more than they owe. Tariff refund consulting exists to close that gap. A…