April 2023 - Braumiller Law Group

Hot Topics in International Trade De minimis with Robert Stein VP Braumiller Consulting

April 18, 2023

In this Hot Topics podcast, Bob Brewer intenviews Robert Stein, VP Braumiller Consulting on International Trade De Minimis. The full term is de minimus non carat lex which means the law does not concern itself with something so inconsequential. The de minims threshold was raised to $800 to relieve businesses of administrative burden but U.S. customs is looking at how the provision is being misused by exporters, especially China, to get around forced labor and fentanyl.

The CBP Forced Labor Expo: Spotlight on Forced Labor Compliance

April 5, 2023

By Adrienne Braumiller, Partner & Founder

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) held The Forced Labor Technical Expo: Tools for Supply Chain Transparency from March 14-15, 2023, which involved members of the U.S. importing community, partner government agencies, and non-governmental organizations.

World Trade and Invasion, One Year Later – Are We on the Brink of a New World Order?

April 5, 2023

By Bob Brewer, Braumiller Law Group

The UN General Assembly recently called once again for ending the war in Ukraine and demanded Russia’s immediate withdrawal from the country, in line with the UN Charter. To say the least, this obviously fell on totally deaf ears as Xi Jinping put on display in Moscow the limitless friendship and bonding with Putin, all while missiles continued to be fired into Ukraine in the scheduled daily barrage. Keep in mind, China’s trade with the U.S. and E.U. is 10xs that of Russia @ $1.62 trillion vs $190 million annually, making this recent visit a true head scratcher economically speaking on the surface.

Revisions and updates to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR)

Hot (or at least warm) Off the Press: Updates & Revisions to the ITAR

April 5, 2023

By Bruce Leeds, Senior Counsel, Braumiller Law Group

The Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) is continuing its project to revise and update the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Some of the changes are editorial and some are substantive. If you are affected by the ITAR or think you might be, you will need to stay on top of the changes because some (or all) may affect you.

OMB Proposes Rule to Clarify Buy America Provision for Grants and Agreements

April 5, 2023

By: James R. Holbein, Of Counsel and Harold Jackson, Associate Attorney

This article provides a brief analysis of the fundamental changes and clarifications to the Buy America requirements for federally-funded infrastructure projects that are currently proposed by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Made in America Office in a Federal Register Notice, “Guidance for Grants and Agreements, issued on February 9, 2023 (86 FR 8374).

Advanced Rulings on USMCA Origin

April 5, 2023

By Brenda Cordova, Braumiller Law Group Mexico Legal Counsel

A good that complies with the USMCA rules of origin may qualify for duty exemption when imported into the United States, Mexico or Canada. The document that certifies such compliance is the certification of origin. This certification includes information about the importer, exporter or producer, certifier, description and harmonized tariff code of the goods, origin criteria, blanket period and authorized signature and date. Completing it seems to be a simple task because such information appears to be relatively basic.

OFAC Enforcement Trends – Lack of Due Diligence in Mergers and Acquisitions

April 5, 2023

By Harold Jackson, Associate Attorney, Braumiller Law Group

With roughly 12,000 names now associated with the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (“SDN”),[1] layered sanctions on activities with Russia, and growing sanctions on China activities, U.S. sanctions have reached the forefront of U.S. government enforcement policy. On March 2, 2023,[2] the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Department of Commerce, and Department of Justice released a Joint Compliance Note, which is evidence that the three departments are coordinating to enforce U.S. sanctions and export controls, particularly those on Russia/Belarus activities.

Mexican Customs Regimes – Regimenes Aduaneros Mexicanos

April 5, 2023

By Brenda Cordova, Braumiller Law Group Mexico Legal Counsel

This article is aimed to briefly explain what is Mexican Customs regime, when and how it is used and why any party entering or extracting goods in or out of Mexico should be aware of its importance for compliance.

Red Flags for Software and Sanctions – OFAC Enforcement Wells Fargo Case Study

April 5, 2023

By Harold Jackson, Associate Attorney, Braumiller Law Group

On March 30, 2023, Wells Fargo agreed to remit $30,000,000 to settle its penalty liability across multiple sanctions programs with U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Controls. Across several years, Wells Fargo and its predecessor in Europe, Wachovia Bank, provided software that was used to process transactions with U.S.-sanctioned jurisdictions and persons.

Court of International Trade (CIT) and USTR

China Section 301 Litigation:
CIT Issues Order: The Tariffs are Here to Stay

April 5, 2023

By: Vicky Wu, Partner, and Brandon French, Associate, Braumiller Law Group

The long-awaited decision by the Court of International Trade (“CIT”) was not the outcome thousands of importer companies were hoping for. On March 17, 2023, the CIT determined that the United States Trade Representative (“USTR”) legally followed Section 307 of the Trade Act of 1974.

Russia remains one of the world’s top aluminum producers

Recent U.S. Actions Affecting Imports of Aluminum Products and More from Russia

April 5, 2023

By: Megan Mohler, Associate Attorney

With the signing of two recent Presidential Proclamations, the U.S. has chosen to take another hardline stance on Russia from an import perspective. Currently, Russia remains one of the world’s top aluminum producers, among other base metals and ore producers. This is troublesome for U.S. importers who still import base metals or derivative metal products from Russia, specifically aluminum.

Preferential Tariff Treatment (PTT) compliance

Origin Verification Procedures Under the USMCA

April 5, 2023

By Francisco de la Cruz, Braumiller Law Group Mexico Legal Counsel

The customs authority is empowered to verify whether a good imported into its territory under Preferential Tariff Treatment (PTT), complies with the rules of origin and other requirements set out in USMCA.

United States the E-1 International Trade Visa

The USA International Trade Visa – Does Your Company Qualify?

April 5, 2023

By Kalani Hawks Villafranca,
Managing Attorney – Hawks Villafranca Law

The U.S. immigration system can be both complex and tedious, but for anyone involved in international trade with the United States the E-1 International Trade Visa offers a swift and effective path to U.S. immigration status.

Hot Topics in International Trade Baltimore Bridge Collapse with Robert Stein VP Braumiller Consulting

April 4, 2023

Hot Topics in International Trade. BLG VP Marketing Bob Brewer sits down with Robert Stein, VP Braumiller Consulting Group and discusses the recent bridge collapse via the Dali at the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.

Level-Up Your CTPAT Portal

June 14, 2024

The CTPAT portal has been a work in progress for a number of years with the latest portal update (3.0) launched at the end of 2023. Let’s take a few

New Legislation Extends Statute of Limitations for Sanctions Violations

June 7, 2024

By: Adrienne Braumiller, Founder of Braumiller Law Group

Recently, President Biden signed a foreign military support bill (H.R. 815) into law, which also encompassed the 21st Century

BRICS–A Focus on De-Dollarization and Global Expansion

June 7, 2024

By Bob Brewer, Braumiller Law Group

The new world order apparently has some merit as more than 30 nations have reportedly submitted applications to join the BRICS

Tariffs and Trade

June 7, 2024

By: Robert Stein, Braumiller Consulting Group

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” – George Santayana. As an example of this I present

Summary of the Findings of the USTR Four-Year Review of Actions Taken in the Section 301 Investigation

June 7, 2024

By: James R. Holbein, Of Counsel and Brandon French, Senior Associate Attorney

On May 14, 2024, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) released its Final Report relating

Australia and United Kingdom License Exemptions on the Way!

June 7, 2024

By Bruce Leeds, Senior Counsel, Braumiller Law Group

Canada has long enjoyed International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) license exemptions and minimal controls for items subject to

USTR Extends Certain Section 301 Exclusions for One Year – Is Your Exclusion Still Valid?

June 7, 2024

By: Brandon French, Senior Associate, Braumiller Law Group

The United States Trade Representative (USTR) recently released a list of Section 301 exclusions that would be extended through

Overcoming Obstacles: Challenges Faced by China’s FDI in Mexico

June 7, 2024

By: Kerry Wang, Senior Associate, Braumiller Law Group

China’s foreign direct investment (FDI) in Mexico has seen substantial growth in recent years, reflecting a strategic alignment with

Recent Developments in Digital Assets Policy

June 7, 2024

By: James R. Holbein, Of Counsel and Justin Holbein

Digital assets, including blockchain and cryptocurrency protocols and companies, have been in a defensive posture for much of

Foreign Direct Investment Trends in 2024

June 7, 2024

By: Victoria Holmes, Braumiller Law Group
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is a driving force behind global economic growth and development, acting as a lifeline of funding for nations around