Importing Done Right - Grasping and Implementing the Core Elements of U.S. Customs Compliance

Do you have a firm grasp on the core elements of compliance with the U.S. customs laws and regulations?

Has your company implemented robust customs compliance policies and procedures  and do you know what your customs brokers are doing on your company’s behalf?

If the answer to one or more of these questions is “no” or you are just not sure, then your company may be at risk for civil penalties, liquidated damages, detentions and seizures, increased scrutiny by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and other unpleasantries associated with customs violations. Your company may also be missing out on significant duty and cost saving opportunities that your competitors already know about. And, your company may be overlooking the special protections afforded by CBP to safeguard intellectual property rights. Therefore, the overall rewards for getting and staying up to speed on the U.S. import rules and requirements are immeasurable.

U.S. importers are living in an era of what is referred to as “reasonable care” and “informed compliance,” and the expectation is that they implement sound processes for ensuring that:

• Accurate and complete information about their imported merchandise is properly and timely declared to CBP;
• Issues such as tariff classification, valuation, country of origin and marking, free trade agreements and special trade programs, antidumping and countervailing duties, recordkeeping, and other compliance issues have been addressed; and,
• Internal controls are in place to prevent or at least reduce the likelihood of customs violations.

This webinar is intended to give executives, compliance managers, and personnel in purchasing, finance, and logistics functions a thorough understanding of the core customs compliance requirements. Specifically, we will tackle the following topics and more:

• The Importer’s Reasonable Care and Informed Compliance Obligations Under The Mod Act
• Getting Started: Custom Brokers, Bonds, and the Entry Process
• Classifying Goods Under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS)
• Properly Valuing and Declaring Merchandise
• Country of Origin and Marking Rules
• Successful Use of Free Trade Agreements and Special Trade Programs
• Dealing with Antidumping and Countervailing Duties and Other Trade Remedies
• Significant Duty Savings Opportunities for U.S. Importers (First Sale Valuation, Bonded Warehouses, Foreign Trade Zones, Duty Drawback, Temporary Importations Under Bond)
• IPR Protections Offered by CBP
• Customs–Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) and Importer Self-Assessment (ISA)
• When CBP Calls – Handling Communications & Inquiries from CBP
• Seeking Guidance & Fixing Mistakes: Ruling Decisions, Post-Shipment Corrections, Protests & Prior Disclosures
• When Bad Things Happen to Good Importers: Penalties, Liquidated Damages, Penalty Notices, Detentions, Seizures and Forfeitures
• Best Practices and Recommendations for Sound Customs Compliance Programs

The webinar will provide PowerPoint slides and include live video and commentary from Melissa Proctor, founder of the law firm of Miller Proctor Law PLLC. For more than 20 years, Melissa has advised companies on a wide array of issues involving compliance with import, export and international trade laws and regulations, as well as embargoes and economic sanctions programs.

Webinar Details:

Date: April 30, 2019

Time: 1:00 PM EDT

Length: 1 hour 30 minutes (Comprised of 1 hour of commentary and 30 minute Q&A session)

Cost: $195 per person (second viewer $75 - additional mutliple viewer rates available)

Can’t make the live broadcast of this webinar? Don’t worry; you will receive access to the webinar, via recording and PowerPoint presentation.