U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has published a final rule which amends the Customs Regulations effective January 5, 2004 regarding the advance electronic presentation of information pertaining to cargo (sea, air, rail, or truck) prior to its being brought into, or sent from, the U.S. (See final rule for compliance dates for each transportation mode.)

Broker Power has listed the 2004 general (column 1) rates of duty for certain cotton and man-made fiber woven apparel, and their associated categories. Special (column 1) rates of duty (which are often zero) exist for certain NAFTA originating, Israel FTA, etc., apparel.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a notice announcing that the Special Bill programming (new non-vessel operating common carrier (NVOCC) and Master vessel operating common carrier (VOCC) bill types) for Sea Automated Manifest System (AMS) participants will be moved into production (i.e., implemented) during the normally scheduled system outage on Saturday, January 10, 2004, 11:00 p.m. EST - 3:00 a.m. EST.

Travel Warnings are issued when the State Department decides, based on all relevant information, to recommend that Americans avoid travel to a certain country. The following has been issued since BP's most recent update:

The White House has issued a press release stating that on December 30, 2003, President Bush approved the designation of the following 37 sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries as eligible for tariff preferences under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA):

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has published a final rule which amends the Customs Regulations effective January 5, 2004 regarding the advance electronic presentation of information pertaining to cargo (sea, air, rail, or truck) prior to its being brought into, or sent from, the U.S. (See final rule for compliance dates for each transportation mode.)

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued an interim final rule and a notice, both effective January 5, 2004, which announce the establishment of the U.S.-Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology Program (US-VISIT) and detail the requirements for the first phase of this program.

The State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) has announced that it will be providing live Web seminars and on-line training tutorials in order to familiarize registered industry users on the licensing process to be introduced with the advent of the D-TRADE licensing system in January 2004.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued an ABI administrative message announcing that the affirmation of compliance for air waybill (AWB) will now be edited for format: NNN-NNNNNNNN. CBP notes that this is also a change to the BN01 and BN02 records in the 'BN' application from what was originally provided.

The Journal of Commerce Online (JoC Online) has reported that the Indian government has issued new rules requiring ocean carriers and airlines to file import cargo manifests in advance. According to JoC Online, these rules, effective February 18, 2004, are similar to the 24-hour anti-terror rule created by the U.S. (JoC Online, 01/06/04, www.joc.com)