CSEC Releases Updated eBond Implementation Guide

By: Lenny Feldman, Managing Partner at Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A. With the government’s continued emphasis on enforcement, it has become mission-critical for parties engaged in international trade to set their strategic offensive in place through programs such as “regulatory defense. “The administration continues to issue executive actions and regulations that increase trade enforcement by stepping up the collection of section 301, 232, and 201 tariffs as well as antidumping and countervailing duties and the prosecution of trade and customs laws violations, particularly in the de minimis space. Additionally, federal agencies have issued regulations and decisions underscoring the need for […]

By Matt Zehner, VP, Surety Information & Analysis, Roanoke Insurance Group Inc. Recently, my colleague Colleen introduced Tariffs and Bond Stacking Liability and the need for importers to monitor bond sufficiency on a regular basis, with the goal to avoid a short-notice demand from CBP to terminate and file a larger bond.  One significant reason to planning the timing of when to make use of a larger continuous bond is that by reducing the number of times the bond amount changes over time, the bond principal is able to minimize the accumulation of bond liability.  There are ancillary benefits to importers when […]

For non-vessel-operating common carriers (NVOCCs), compliance with the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) isn’t optional—it’s the foundation of doing business legally and avoiding steep penalties. During our recent webinar, Avoid Costly FMC Penalties, industry expert Mauricio Larenas of AP Tariffs reminded participants that compliance begins with a simple but critical question: does your business qualify as an NVOCC? Who Qualifies as an NVOCC? According to the FMC, any company that offers ocean shipping services is considered an NVOCC. That definition is broad—so broad that even a small storefront advertising “Ship to Colombia for $50” or a Facebook post offering to move […]