TradeLane

Global trade regulations have never been more complicated or unpredictable, and compliance mistakes are more costly than ever.

Congratulations, you’ve successfully transmitted a Duty Drawback claim to U.S. Customs and Border Protection! Whether this is your first claim or just one of many, an accepted claim feels like an accomplishment, especially given the complexity of the Modernized Drawback regulations. At this point, many traders may believe their part is over and it’s time to sit back and collect the refund, right? Well, maybe not. Picture this… while (patiently) waiting for your refund, you receive a CBP Request for Information, also known as a CF28, and a notification letter from a CBP Drawback Specialist that your claim requires additional information to be processed, in the form of a Full Desk Review (FDR) - three words that strike fear into even the most seasoned trade professional. Now what?

As anyone working in the logistics and shipping industry knows, the major barriers to importing goods into the United States include duties, taxes, tariffs, and complying with certain government regulations. Luckily, there are ways that businesses can overcome these obstacles and stay competitive and compliant in the global marketplace.

Watching the news can really make you wonder about how we will all get through things.

Importers seeking refunds of section 301 duties for exclusions that were issued after the subject entries have liquidated and after the protest period has expired may have difficulties in duty recovery through any existing post-entry mechanism. One importer has even filed a suit at the Court of International Trade to compel CBP to reliquidate such entries so that they can benefit from the exclusions, but the result of that case is unknown at this time.