June 2014: ISF Enforcement Update

An import bond is more than a simple commodity. Choosing the right customs surety bond provider can add stability and certainty to your business as well as the flow of your import clients’ goods. Properly vetting your customs bond provider and the surety company they represent will help you deliver on your client’s service expectations. Here are some  essential characteristics to consider  when making this critical decision. 1. Longevity, Experience, and Service A good starting point in the vetting process is to look for a partner that demonstrates staying power in the industry and aligns with your company’s standards and […]

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 […]