Customs & Logistics News
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U.S.
August 19, 2019
Plunge in U.S. Imports from Asia Signals Weak Peak
A 19 percent plunge in U.S. imports from Asia last month is the latest sign of a weak – or modest, at best – peak season. Analysts are forecasting a retraction to slight uptick in volumes in the traditionally busy August-October period. However, eastbound spot rates to the West Coast last week fell 7.2 percent from the previous week and were 28.7 percent lower than the same week last year. As reported in the Journal of Commerce: JOC
Advance Rulings for Tariff Classification
Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has updated memorandum D11-11-3, Advance Rulings for Tariff Classification. A revision is included on their policy on postponement of effective date. Clarification of the 120 day service standard, and rulings for conditional relief tariff item. New policies for exchange of information and retention, disposal and returning period. Full information on changes and the memorandum are available at: CBSA
Not Enough Trucks Leaving Market to Dent Oversupply
Despite an uptick in truckload companies filing for bankruptcy, not enough capacity has been removed to fix the supply-demand imbalance in the spot market, according to logistics providers and trucking companies. Trucking bankruptcies reportedly are creeping up after hitting a 20-year low in 2018. As reported in the Journal of Commerce: JOC
Section 301 Tariffs On Chinese Origin Goods Update
Further to our August 13 Bulletin, the effective date is by date of entry, and no grace period is provided for “goods on the water”. List 4A will be effective entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption September 1, and List 4B effective entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption December 15. The United States Trade Representative list are available as follows: List 4A and List 4B
Merchandise Processing Fee Minimum and Maximum to Increase October 1, 2019
Effective for entries with an entry date on or after October 1, 2019, the minimum and maximum Merchandise Processing Fee (MPF) will increase with the ad valorem rate of 0.3464% not changing. Informal entries will have a new minimum of $2.14 (formerly $2.10) and Formal entries will have a new minimum of $26.79 (formerly $26.22) and a new maximum of $519.76 (formerly $508.70). MPF is payable on all imports, excluding certain chapter 98 provisions of the HTS, a product of an insular possession, a CBI country, a least developed country, or on goods with a Free Trade Agreement claim for Free Trade Agreements as listed in the U.S. Federal Regulations 19 CFR 24.23 (Includes NAFTA). Federal Register Notice: Federal Register