exporting to the u.s. - september 8th, 2016
TRANSCRIPT
Importing into the USA:A Foundation to Build OnU.S. Customs Clearance Guidelines
Whose Job Is It Anyway?Always:• Customs• Importer of Record• Customs Broker
Sometimes:• Accountants, engineers, buyers, partner government
agencies, labeling firms, freight forwarders, carriers, other specialists
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Balanced approach to security and trade
Protecting borders from: • Terrorism• Human and drug smuggling• Agricultural pests
Facilitating trade to:• Assure compliance with laws• Inform trade community• Protect domestic economy and citizens• Collection of duties, anti-dumping and other
government fees
Importer of Record• Owner or purchaser (resident or non-resident)• Responsible for payment of duties and taxes• Make entry on imported goods• Responsible for compliance with U.S. regulations
Customs Broker• Licensed to transact customs business on importer’s
behalf• Provide guidance to importers• Calculate duties and taxes• File entry and arrange release of merchandise• Fiduciary accountability• Confidentiality
Processes and Documents• Power of Attorney• Customs Bond• Commercial Invoice• Packing List• eManifest / Bill of Lading
Harmonized Tariff Classification• International goods nomenclature• All products classifiable within tariff• 5000 heading descriptions = 17000 classifications• Progression from raw to complex to fully
manufactured article• Delineates duty rates• Clearly defined and legally binding methodology of
classification
Valuation and Appraisement• In order to determine appropriate duties, customs
must know the appraised value• Valuation is not always complex, but can be• Most goods are appraised based on Transaction
Value
Valuation and Appraisement• Price paid or payable for merchandise when sold for
export to the U.S.• Includes packing costs, selling commissions, assists,
royalties and other considerations• Be aware that the relationship between buyer and
seller may affect Transaction Value• All merchandise has a value• Not all goods can be appraised using Transaction
Value
Free Trade Agreements• Where grown, produced, manufactured or
assembled• Determines import duties, labeling requirements,
legality of sale• Duty-free status requires adherence to specific rules
of origin• Transformation of goods affect dutiability and
requires very specific accounting computation
Import Considerations• Can the importer finance an import program?• Can the product be legally imported?• Can the importer and supplier meet all of the
regulatory requirements of the import transaction?
Best Practices• Management commitment to compliance• Development of formal compliance policies• Establish and maintain training programs• Partner with your customs broker• Partner with Customs and Border Protection• View compliance as a competitive advantage, rather
than strictly as a cost center
Customs Audit• What is an audit?• What might customs be looking for?
Questions to ask yourself:1. What is your business’s track record with customs?2. Do you know whether your shipments are
considered high risk?3. Do you know how customs determines whether you
will be audited?
Resources19 CFR – Customs Dutieswww.ecfr.gov
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of United Stateswww.hts.usitc.gov
U.S. Customs and Border Protectionwww.cbp.gov
Importing into the United States Informed Compliance Publications
Pacific Customs Brokerswww.pcbusa.com