CBP Administrative Messages, Electronic Bulletin Board Notices, Etc

1. JFK Airport Client Rep Office to be Closed Temporarily

CBP states that for assistance with automated interfaces during this period, client reps in the following offices may be contacted: Charlotte, NC (704-329-6206), Baltimore, MD (410-962-5660), Newark, NJ (973-368-6980). (Adm dated 07/08/04, available via fax or email by emailing documents@brokerpower.com)

2. CBP Seizes Illegal Fireworks from Mexico

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a press release announcing that CBP officers at three ports of entry in San Diego County have seized over 5,500 pieces of fireworks since the start of fiscal year 2004. CBP explains that the importation of any fireworks from Mexico is restricted by federal laws. (CBP Press Release, dated 06/24/04, available at http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/press_releases/06242004_1.xml)

3. Textile and Apparel Quotas 85% or More Filled as of July 7, 2004

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted to its Web site its "critical list" of textiles and apparel subject to import quotas with entered quantities 85% or more filled as of July 7, 2004. CBP states that this "critical list" may be used by CBP as a reference for releasing quota merchandise "off line" when the Automated Commercial System (ACS) is down for longer than four hours. CBP notes that textile and apparel merchandise for Electronic Visa Information System (ELVIS) countries cannot be released "off line" until it is processed through quota. CBP further notes that if the system is down for more than 24 hours, Headquarters Quota Branch should be contacted for further instructions. CBP also states that merchandise subject to tariff-rate quotas (TRQs), which are filled, may be released if entered under the "over quota" (high) rate of duty. (CBP's critical list, dated 07/07/04, http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/import/textiles_and_quotas/textile_critical_list/)

4. Weekly Quota Commodity Report as of July 6, 2004

CBP has issued its weekly quota commodity report as of July 6, 2004. This report includes tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) on various products such as beef, tuna, sugar, dairy products, peanuts, cotton, cocoa powder, tobacco, certain JFTA, NAFTA, SFTA, and UCFTA TRQs, etc. This report also includes the AGOA, ATPDEA, CBTPA, NAFTA, SFTA, and UCFTA tariff preference levels (TPLs) for qualifying apparel and/or other textile articles, the TRQs on worsted wool fabrics under HTS 9902.51.11 & 9902.51.12, etc. (CBP's weekly quota commodity report dated 07/06/04, available at http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/import/textiles_and_quotas/commodity/)

5. Miscellaneous CBP Messages on AD and CV Duty Actions

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued messages on a number of antidumping (AD) and countervailing (CV) duty actions, many of which (marked by an * in the action column) were previously published in the Federal Register by the International Trade Administration (ITA) and summarized in International Trade Today.

(The CBP messages marked with an * cover much of the same information as the ITA notices; however, CBPs' messages often list the 10-character case number specific to each listed company(s). ITA notices only list the 7-character master case number. In addition, sometimes the master case number for CBP purposes (in parentheses, below, where applicable) differs from the ITA master case number.)

(CBP electronic bulletin board notices available at:

http://www.cebb.customs.treas.gov/public/cgi/cebb.exe?mode=fa&area=14)