GOVERNING BODIES AND REGULATIONS

Project Panama: Governing Bodies & Regulations
1. Governing Bodies
a. Who regulates import/exports
1. US customs/ border protection (CBP)
a. www.cbp.gov
b. CBP is one of the Department of Homeland Security’s largest and most complex components, with a priority mission of keeping terrorists and their weapons out of the U.S. It also has a responsibility for securing and facilitating trade and travel while enforcing hundreds of U.S. regulations, including immigration and drug laws.
c. U.S. Customs and Border Protection will facilitate about $2 trillion in legitimate trade this year while enforcing U.S. trade laws that protect the economy, the health and the safety of the American people. We accomplish this through close partnerships with the trade community, other government agencies and foreign governments.
2. Business.gov - link between business and Gov’t
a. www.business.gov
3. Free Trade Zone Manufacturing Center
a. http://ia.ita.doc.gov/ftzpage/info/toolbox.html?cm_sp=ExternalLink-_-Federal-_-DOC
b. The tools on this page were created to reduce the barriers to the use of FTZ procedures for small and medium-sized manufacturers. As such, these tools are most appropriate for use in cases of basic to moderate complexity (in terms of number of products, industries and issues presented). If you have any questions please contact the FTZ staff at (202) 482-2862.
4. International Trade Commission
a. www.usitc.gov
b. An independent federal agency determining import injury to U.S. industries in antidumping, countervailing duty, and global and China safeguard investigations; directing actions against unfair trade practices involving patent, trademark, and copyright infringement
5. Informed Compliance Publications
a. http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/trade/legal/informed_compliance_pubs/
b. CBP has a number of Informed Compliance publications (ICPs) in the "What Every Member of the Trade Community Should Know About: ..." series. As of the date of this posting, the subjects listed are available for reading or downloading. The first date shown is the original publication date. The subsequent dates, if any, show the revisions. Please note: The "Additional Information" sections in some of the older ICPs were correct at the time of publication, but may no longer be current.
6. Classification: Apparel Terminology under the HTSUS
a. http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/trade/legal/informed_compliance_pubs/icp057.ctt/icp057.pdf
b. This publication is intended to provide guidance and information to the trade community. It reflects the position on or interpretation of the applicable laws or regulations by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) as of the date of publication, which is shown on the front cover. It does not in any way replace or supersede those laws or regulations. Only the latest official version of the laws or regulations is authoritative.



7. Tips for New Importers and Exporters
a. http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/trade/trade_outreach/diduknow.xml
b. In order to avoid potential problems in the clearance of your merchandise, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) strongly recommends that you familiarize yourself with CBP policies and procedures prior to actually importing/exporting your goods. You should also be aware of any entry requirements specific to the particular commodity you are importing/exporting, including those of other federal agencies. To assist you, we offer the following tips for new importers and exporters

b. Where do permits come from
c. What kind of taxes/ tariffs
1. HTSUS- harmonized tariff schedule of the United States
a. www.usitc.gov/tata/hts/
b. This page consists of the most recent online versions of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule, which may be an updated version of the last printed publication. Usually, the links provided will be either to the basic annual edition or its supplement(s), although there are intermediate electronic revisions that may be available. The USITC (Office of Tariff Affairs and Trade Agreements) is responsible for publishing the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States Annotated (HTSA). The HTSA provides the applicable tariff rates and statistical categories for all merchandise imported into the United States; it is based on the international Harmonized System, the global system of nomenclature that is used to describe most world trade in goods.Although the USITC publishes and maintains the HTSA in its various forms, Customs and Border Protection is the only agency that can provide legally binding advice or rulings on classification of imports.

d. Gov. regulations/ inspections
e. Quotas
i. Are my goods subject to quota?
1. http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/trade/trade_programs/textiles_and_quotas/quota_restrict.xml
2. Import quotas control the amount or volume of various commodities that can be imported into the United States during a specified period of time. Quotas are established by legislation and Presidential proclamations issued pursuant to specific legislation and provided for in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS).