Automated Export System and Electronic Export Information filings are not yet considered proof of exportation for drawback purposes, according to a Dec. 9 alert from the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America. NCBFAA said it received the “advice” from CBP after “many inquiries and some confusion” about proof of export rules.
The Commerce Department is seeking comments on proposed revisions relating to the Automated Export System, the Census Bureau said in a notice. The revisions include provisions for the “early release of preliminary steel mill import statistics” and plans by both Census and the Bureau of Industry and Security to draft a notice of proposed rulemaking to clarify the responsibilities of parties in routed and standard export transactions (see 1907100053). Census said it is “working with BIS to receive concurrence in order to publish the NPRM." Census also said the two agencies aim to publish the NPRMs “around the same time” to “allow the trade community an opportunity to review the proposed requirements as they relate to both filing and licensing responsibilities.” Census said its draft rule “has received concurrence” from the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security. Comments are due by Feb. 7, 2020.
The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing new reporting requirements for 19 chemicals under significant new use rules. The proposed SNURs would require notification to EPA at least 90 days in advance of a new use by importers, manufacturers or processors. Importers of chemicals subject to these proposed SNURs would need to certify their compliance with the SNUR requirements should these proposed rules be finalized, EPA said. Exporters of these chemicals would become subject to export notification requirements. Comments on the proposed SNURs are due Jan. 6.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a final rule clarifying requirements for reporting exports of beef and pork under the Export Sales Reporting Program, USDA said Nov. 25. The rule clarifies that certain “muscle cuts” of beef and pork include “whole carcasses, whether divided in half or further subdivided into individual primals, sub-primals, or fabricated cuts, with or without bone.” The total weight reported may include “minor nonreportable items,” USDA said. Meats removed during the “conversion of an animal to a carcass” are not muscle cuts, “nor are items sold as bones practically free of meat,” the agency said.
The Fish and Wildlife Service is issuing a final rule listing the meltwater lednian stonefly (Lednia tumana) and the western glacier stonefly (Zapada glacier), two aquatic insect species from Montana and Canada, and Montana and Wyoming, respectively, as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Though the agency recently ended blanket import-export restrictions for threatened species, FWS is including a 4(d) rule for these species that prohibits importation and exportation without a permit. New import and export restrictions set by the agency’s final rule take effect Dec. 23.
The Food and Drug Administration on Nov. 14 issued a new guidance document on procedures for reviewing FDA denials of export certificates for medical devices. The guidance document details the process for exporters to correct deficiencies that caused FDA to deny issuance of a Certificate to Foreign Government (CFG) for a device, as well as for requesting agency review of denials.
The Census Bureau removed a port of export code from the Automated Export System, the agency said in a Nov. 12 email. The deleted code is 2711 for El Segundo, California.
The Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) for CBP will next meet Dec. 4, beginning at 1 p.m., in Washington, CBP said in a notice.
The Census Bureau posted the latest versions of the Schedule B and Harmonized Tariff Schedule tables on its website, the agency said by email. There were no additions to the Schedule B, Census said. "The ACE AESDirect program has been updated with the new HTS codes," it said.
The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing new reporting requirements for 26 chemicals under significant new use rules. The proposed SNURs would require notification to EPA at least 90 days in advance of a new use by importers, manufacturers or processors. Importers of chemicals subject to these proposed SNURs would need to certify their compliance with the SNUR requirements should these proposed rules be finalized, EPA said. Exporters of these chemicals would become subject to export notification requirements. Comments on the proposed SNURs are due Dec. 4.