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President Abraham Lincoln had had enough. His troops at the front of the bloody Civil War were ill from rancid food, receiving lame mules and horses, faulty rifles and ammunition, all because of unscrupulous contractors to the U.S. government. As a result, Congress passed the False Claims Act (FCA) on 2 March 1863 which they hoped would provide a remedy for such [...]

Imagine sitting at your desk, doing what you do in your normal trade compliance day. You would no doubt notice if a top supplier were doctoring import documentation. Now imagine if the president of that supplier made an appointment with you, and when he walked into your office, he handed you an envelope filled with large bills. Something would change that day, wouldn’t it? Or would it?  That was [...]

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) finally got a major overhaul, something campaigned on by President Trump and negotiated in Congress for the past three years. There are a number of significant changes about which American businesses need to be aware. Below we'll discuss 5 key differences between USMCA and NAFTA. When NAFTA came into force on January 1, 1994, it was seen as a way to foster economic growth [...]

Incoterms® – an abbreviation for International Commercial Terms – are the rules first issued by the International Chamber of Commerce in 1936 as a way of unifying the shipping practices and legal interpretations between those involved in global trade around the world. As international trade has grown over the decades, so have Incoterms® rules evolved to meet the needs of sellers and buyers.   What Are Incoterms®?   Incoterms® rules have [...]

The Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is a state’s body. Vested with the power and authority to issue custom legal rulings. It also deals with other legal decisions that relate to the importation of merchandise.  The rulings enable the international trade community to understand how the CPB will treat a prospective carrier transaction or import. [...]

The primary purpose of free trade agreements (FTAs) is to lower or remove tariff barriers that hamper the active trade of goods and services between countries and to protect intellectual property rights. The U.S. alone has more than 12 FTAs, and there are more than 400 regional trade agreements worldwide; even so, it appears that many companies fail to leverage this opportunity to open up foreign markets to their products. Based on [...]

Early morning wake up call, Brooks running shoes laced up, and hundreds, if not thousands (depending on your location) of running fanatics, donning colorful tutus and silly turkey outfits, all lined up for yet another 5K Turkey Trot.  Meanwhile the kitchen is humming with activity as the non-running crowd begins preparations for the day’s feast. [...]

Export Controls: Denied Parties  With concerns about the unauthorized and/or inappropriate transfer of technology, products, and information to individuals or entities within or beyond US borders, the US Government established laws and regulations, known as export controls, to restrict such transfer. The government regulates the export of sensitive information, physical equipment, and software and technology to promote foreign policy objectives and promote [...]

Never is your supply chain as important as when you no longer have access to it. Even the smallest business realizes the impact of losing just one step of the chain. One weakness in a link can often mean a breakdown of the entire chain. These disruptions and delays can have a massive impact, potentially [...]

Export Administration Regulations (EAR) If you work in the international trade industry or if you are considering it, the export administration regulations are something you need to know. These regulations apply to all goods being exported out of the United States. These goods must be regulated for the country's security and the safety of the [...]