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In observance of Martin Luther King’s birthday:
Please note that Customs and Border Protection will observe Martin Luther King’s birthday on Monday, January 20th, with the following hours of operation:
For Monday holiday, hours will be:
Northbound 8-2 pm FAST and Perishable entries only.
Southbound 9-2 pm CTPAT certified exports only.
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Dear Friends and Customers,
This message is sent as a reminder that as of January 1, 2020, there will no longer be units of measure (UOQ) in the United States Harmonized Tariff (HTSUS) that are "X" or "General". All UOQs in the HTSUS will be specific units such as "kg", "quantity", etc. For additional information on this change, visit:
https://www.cbp.gov/document/fact-sheets/tftea-harmonized-tariff-schedule-unit-quantity-change
Please note that the Commerce Office will publish guidance on cbp.gov in the coming weeks on how to propose a change of UOQ to Committee 484 (f).
We ask you to make sure that you enter the unit of measure that corresponds to each tariff classification in your database so that it is included in your commercial invoice and in your EDI if applicable, and thus avoid any possible documentation delay.
Feel free to contact us for any questions or comments.
Compliance.clx@rljones.com
Sincerely,
RL Jones
Dear Friends and Customers,
Please be aware that we have been notified of several monetary penalties for rejected shipments issued by the CBP Agriculture Department for not complying with the 7 CFR 319.40 on marking and/or the lack of treatment in wood packaging.
Below are some of the reasons for penalties generated by CBP/AQI local port.
- Not properly treated/fumigated
- Not legible marked/stamp
- Using fake or unauthorized mark/stamp
Please keep in mind that one single untreated pallet or illegible mark may cause your whole shipment to be rejected and returned to Mexico. We remind you that according to the regulations already established by APHIS / USDA there is zero tolerance or exceptions on marking or untreated wooden pallets.
Below please find useful links and attached recommendations, suggestions and the CSMS, which were generated during joint CBP/PPQ/industry WPM outreach panel discussions by members of the import community:
https://www.ippc.int/en/publications/640/
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/import-information/wood-packaging-material
CSMS# 17-000612 - UPDATED WOOD PACKAGING MATERIAL PENALTY GUIDANCE
Feel free to contact us for any questions or comments.
Compliance.clx@rljones.com
Sincerely,
RL Jones
Dear Friends and Customers,
On November 29, 2019, the U.S. Trade Representative published Federal Register Notice 84 FR 65882 announcing the decision to grant certain exclusion requests from the 25% duty assessed on 32 HTS- goods of China (from Section 301 List 3).
For reference, please see below Federal Register Notice.
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/11/29/2019-25820/notice-of-product-exclusions-chinas-acts-policies-and-practices-related-to-technology-transfer
The product exclusions announced in this notice will apply retroactively as of the September 24, 2018, effective date of the $200 billion action, to August 7, 2020.
Attached you will find a summary of mentioned HTS numbers for your reference.
Once CBP issues guidance and implements ACE enhancements, a Post Summary Correction (PSC) or a Protest may be submitted for a refund.
Please feel free to contact the RL Jones Compliance Department with any questions.
Sincerely,
RL Jones Customhouse Brokers
Compliance Department
Dear friends and customers,
This is to remind you that, as per Section 301, trade remedies/duties have been assessed on certain products from China.
Among the 9802 affected programs are: Subheadings 9802.00.40, 9802.00.50, 9802.00.60, and 9802.00.80.
For all goods under these subheadings additional duties, effective August 23, 2018, should be assessed as follows:
CSMS 18-000493 https://csms.cbp.gov/csms.asp?recid=&srchtype=Seq_Msg_Num&page=&srch_argv=18-000493&opt=1
For repair/alteration programs, the duty provided in the applicable HTS plus the section 301 additional duty rate shall apply to the value of repairs, alteration, or processing (value added) performed abroad.
“For assembly program under heading 9802.00.80, the additional duties should apply to the value of the article less the cost or value of such products of the United States, as described in heading 9802.00.80”.
Products which country of origin is China that are covered by section 301 remedy and are eligible for Special tariff treatment, still shall be subject to the additional rates imposed under Section 301 unless excluded.
Please make sure that the appropriate country of origin is indicated on your invoices and EDI, as well as any additional 99# in case an exclusion applies to your product, so that we may calculate the duties to be assessed.
Please do not hesitate to call our compliance team compliance.clx@rljones.com if you should have any questions.
Sincerely,
RL Jones
Dear Friends and Customers,
Attached please find a brief summary of Calexico CBP/SAT Working Group-Binational Meeting held on Thursday October 10th, 2019.
We highly encourage you to participate in these meetings since they allow you to share any challenges or situations affecting your Imports and/or Exports. They are scheduled every 3 months and are held typically the 3rd Thursday of the month from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
Next meeting has been tentatively scheduled for January 09th, 2020. We will notify you in advance once the date is confirmed.
Sincerely,
RL Jones
Dear Friends and Customers,
This is to inform you of the requirement to report Steel HTSUS numbers 9903.80.05 through 9903.80.58 for steel origin South Korea, you must provide the valid and properly executed Korea Iron and Steel Association (KOSA) Certificate of Export. The Importer / Filer can obtain the Certificate from the Korean Exporter only.
Republic of Korea Country of Origin articles that are subject to the export certification requirement may not be entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption except upon presentation of a valid and properly executed certification of export.
Effective 8/1/2019, KOSA Certificates of Export provide for a 9 digit number in the section 15 field of the Export Certificates. Filers or Importer holding a 2019 KOSA Export Certificate without the 9 digit number in the section 15 field should have their Exporter contact the website for the Korea Iron and Steel Association (KOSA) at http:sq.kosa.or.kr/ for the 9 digit number.
Please contact us if you have any questions at compliance.clx@rljones.com
Sincerely,
RL Jones
Dear Friends and Customers,
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a final rule adjusting the following customs user fees and limitations for inflation for fiscal year 2020. These adjustments will take effect on October 1, 2019.
The MPF ad valorem rate of 0.3464% will NOT change
NEW Minimum $26.29 (previous Minimum $26.22)
NEW Maximum $519.76 (previous Maximum $508.70)
New $2.14 fee for Informal Entry or Release
New $3.21 subcharge for Manual Entry or Release
New $5.89 fee for dutiable mail
Below Customs & Border Protection link for your reference:
https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDHSCBP/bulletins/2578a64
Federal Register Notice:
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-08-02/pdf/2019-16582.pdf
Sincerely,
RL Jones
Dear Customers and Friends,
New Regulations will impose new requirements on growers, importers and handlers. USDA will soon be publishing proposed new regulations designed to improve the integrity of the organic supply chain. This meeting will be one of the last opportunities to have a two-way discussion to help ensure that the proposals will achieve their purpose to prevent fraud while not creating an unreasonable burden on the industry. Dr. Jennifer Tucker is the leader of the USDA National Organic Program based in Washington, DC.
See attached document for more information.
Sincerely,
RL Jones
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Panel: World Class Infrastructure 2:00 pm
Date: August 21st 2019
Time: 2:00 pm Pacific Time
Place: Centro de Convenciones de Baja California Tijuana
Registration: www.encuentroindustrialdimbc.com
Speakers:
Lourdes Inzunza Carga Aerea Matrix
Rogelio Vallenzuela Hutchinson Ports EIT
Jorge Goytortua Cross Border Xpress CBX
Moderator: Eduardo (Lalo) Acosta V.P. RL Jones Customhouse Brokers
The United States Trade Representative has announced the phased-in implementation of the additional 10% duty. Initially, all list 4 items would start paying this duty on Sept. 1, 2019. It has now been broken down to two lists, 4A and 4B. List 4A goes into effect on Sept 1, 2019, and list 4B goes into effect Dec. 15, 2019.
Please see attached lists for your reference. Some items in the health, safety, and national security industries were taken off list 4 completely. List 4B items include cell phones, laptops, video games , certain toys, computer monitors, and some items of footwear and clothing.
Once this is published in the Federal Register, we will provide details.
Please let us know if you have any questions at compliance.clx@rljones.com
On August 7, 2019, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) published Federal Register (FR) Notice 84 FR 38717 announcing the decision to grant the eighth round of certain exclusion requests from the 10 percent duty, and later amended to 25 percent duty, assessed under the Section 301 investigation related to goods from China ($200B Action - Tranche 3). The product exclusions announced in this notice will apply as of the September 24, 2018 effective date, and will extend for one year after the publication of this notice.
Dear Friends and Customers,
President Trump has announced that beginning Sept. 1 he will impose a 10 percent additional tariff on virtually all of the remaining $300 billion worth of goods imported from China that are not already subject to Section 301 tariffs (List 4 goods).
Dear Customers and friends,
The following bulletin is to inform you that import alert # 99-41 has been published on 07-31-2019 stating that an importer may be added to the Red List of such import alert because it appears that such importer is not in compliance with FSVP requirements for one or more foods.
For more information regarding this import alert please refer to the below link
See complete Import Alert # 99-41
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