Blog
Why Trade Matters
The US is in a full-blown “trade war” with China. The possibility of tariffs on goods from Mexico, combined with other trade actions by the Trump administration, could send the entire US economy off the rails. The Federal Reserve is already looking at ways to prevent this disaster in the making. History teaches that global [...]
CBP’s Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism Finalized an Update to its Minimum Security Criteria
Release Date: May 3, 2019 WASHINGTON—After over two and a half years of collaboration with the trade community, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) program has finalized its review and update of its Minimum Security Criteria (MSC). Early in 2016, CBP formally requested the Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) to [...]
Summary: Tariffs kicked in overnight May 10, 2019
The US has increased tariffs on $200bn of Chinese goods from 10% to 25%, with the change coming into effect at midnight. Tariffs increased when midnight deadline for agreement to be reached between China and the US passed without a deal, though talks between the delegations will continue on Friday. Beijing vowed to retaliate over the [...]
Will beef ever be COOL again?
Why does the ‘Product of the USA’ label mean so much to cattle ranchers? A group of American small-business cattle ranchers called the Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund (R-CALF) is lobbying its tail off to change America’s beef-labeling laws. Labeling laws have caused small ranchers to lock horns with major meatpackers for years, and now R-CALF hopes to [...]
NAFTA, Explained With a Toy Car
NAFTA made your car cheaper, USMCA could change that.When the North American Free Trade Agreement began in 1994, auto companies in the US, Canada and Mexico could trade parts and cars without paying tariffs. And they could source parts and labor from the cheapest places. That is a big reason why US car prices have only risen seven percent in 25 years. But the proposed US Mexico Canada Agreement — or USMCA for short — could change that; President Trump’s new deal would increase the regulations that car manufacturers need to meet in order to sell tariff-free cars. We built a Ford Mustang to explain.
Business Can Strengthen the U.S.-Mexico Relationship
For all the talk of tension between the U.S. and Mexico, we remain close friends and neighbors with mutual interests, common challenges, and interdependent economies. For more than a century, U.S. and Mexican companies have worked together to drive investment, create jobs, and promote prosperity on both sides of the border. Trade with our neighbor [...]
All About That Base(line): How to Interpret the International Trade Commission Report on USMCA
On or around April 18, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) is expected to release a report assessing the expected effects on the U.S. economy of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Interpreting the report is going to be… complicated. This report is required under the Bipartisan Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015 (known as [...]
Letters of Credit in Business Transactions
In most of the world and, indeed, in much of the United States the parties to a transaction often do not know each other and are concerned that the transaction will not proceed without problems. The manufacturer or supplier is concerned that it will not be paid for goods or services rendered. The buyer is [...]
Customs Ruling of the Week – Classification of “Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine.”
In NY N303641, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) discussed the classification of the “Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine.” The imported item is a snow-cone making set for children. It consists of a plastic housing with a metal cylindrical blade. The plastic housing is in the shape of a doghouse and has a closeable chute for the ice [...]
