Staying on top of regulatory bodies, changes in legislation, access to resources for importers can be a full time undertaking. If you’re anything like the importers that we work with on a daily basis, then you don’t have much time to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty in documentation. Part of conducting research into importing frameworks is knowing where to look to get the information you need. That is half the battle of staying informed in today’s world.
Why is staying on top of this information so important? Most importers know that any regulatory misstep, or act of non-compliance can result in devastating delays in release, additional taxes/duties/penalties, or even shipment seizures. This can have a major impact on the business’ bottom line.
As such, we pulled together a list of resources for importers that move goods into the US. These links will be helpful in staying “in the know” and finding information more easily.
Save them, bookmark them for later, or grab a coffee and do a deep dive right now!
As your commercial goods reach the US, it is up to you to file an entry at the port of entry. A customs entry is not final until the shipment has arrived at the port of entry, has been authorized by the CBP and any duties / fees have been paid in full.
Declaring a section 321 shipment
To Report a Section 321, the carrier will need to create a shipment in ACE under shipment type “Section 321” and ensure it is transmitted under their Manifest.
Be sure to ask yourself these questions from this helpful checklist prior to import.
Tips for Shippers: Leveraging Ocean Transport
Most importers will be familiar with ocean transport for commercial goods in one way or another. The United Nations Conference on Trade & Development (UNCTAD) has stated they predict ocean trade will likely grow by 5% this year.
Guide to Accessing Your ACE Export Reports
Importers, let’s talk about how to access your ACE reports with ease!
With eCommerce exploding in the past decade, it’s not too late for importers to leverage this powerful platform.
We discuss the various tips that importers can put into place to start benefiting from USMCA as soon as possible.
US Importing Penalties Explained
We break down a variety of penalties that importers must look out for, to adjust their business dealings accordingly.
CBP as we know it, in the context of importing and exporting, is responsible for facilitating the movement of goods into and from the US (and keeping Americans safe!). We cover a few of the different entry types for imported goods into the US.
One of the “workarounds” used by importers used as a solution for shifting international trade relationships is tariff engineering.
These organizations, directories, and platforms represent the main areas of interest for importers. This is not a list of all the possible resources, but it covers the central areas of pertinence.
Here is a list of resources directly from the US governments’ websites:
- ACE
- Census Bureau Foreign Trade Division
- Committee for Implementation of Textile Agreements
- Consumer Product Safety
- Customs Ruling Online Search System
- Federal Trade Commission
- Foreign Agricultural Service
- International Trade Administration
- International Trade Commission
- Small Business Administration
- US Customs & Border Protection
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If you have any questions about the resources listed above, or you would like to be pointed in the direction for other resources, please contact us here. For further customs consulting, you may also contact us here.
