Here is a recap of the latest customs and international trade law news:      

Customs and Border Protection (CBP)  

  • CBP seizes unsafe hair dryers 
    • CBP seized 65 hair dryers on behalf of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) that the agency determined were a substantial product hazard under the Consumer Product Safety Act. 
  • CBP to resume cargo processing at Bridge of the Americas October 10.  
  • CBP officers in Indianapolis seized two shipments containing 362 counterfeit designer watches. If genuine, would have had a combined Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) over $2 million. 
  • Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has provided guidance on conforming amendments to two previously reinstated exclusions associated with the Section 301 investigation of China Acts, Policies, and Practices Related to Technology Transfer, Intellectual Property, and Innovation. 
  • CBP gave notice that the quarterly Internal Revenue Service interest rates used to calculate interest on overdue accounts (underpayments) and refunds (overpayments) of customs duties will increase from the previous quarter.  
    • For the calendar quarter beginning October 1, 2023, the interest rates for underpayments will be 8 percent for both corporations and non-corporations. 
  • HSU error update – CBP said it was notified of an issue in update 2309 that included the 2023 Cotton Fee updates. The agency said its “ACE technicians swiftly investigated, resolved the issue, and a revised HSU [Harmonized System Update] was published.” 
    • CBP further noted to the trade that Update 2310 was “erroneously published” and should not be used. The latest HSU is 2311 and both updates 2309 and 2311 should be queried. 

 Congressional Executive Committee on China (CECC) 

  • The CECC released two letters—one to Commissioner Adam Silver of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and one to President C.J. McCollum of the National Association Players Association (NBPA)—raising questions about their respective business operations relating to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and asking them to prohibit the use or sale of NBA-branded gear and garments or NBA game-day shoes made with forced labor. 

Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS)  

  • BIS added 49 entities to the Entity List for providing support to Russia’s military and/or defense industrial base.  

U.S. Department of Commerce 

  • Commerce’s nominee honored at the White House on International Day of the Girl 
    • First Lady Jill Biden hosted the “Girls Leading Change” celebration to recognize the profound impact young women are having on their communities across the United States. Inventor Gitanjali Rao was recognized for her patent-pending device to detect lead in water. The Department of Commerce’s United States Patent and Trade Office (USPTO) nominated her earlier this year as a young female entrepreneur spearheading change in her community. 
  • Certain new pneumatic off-the-road tires from India: Final results of antidumping duty administrative review. 
  • Difluoromethane from the People’s Republic of China: Final results of antidumping duty administrative review and partial rescission.

United States Trade Representative (USTR)  

  • USTR, Department of Commerce, Small Business Administration and UK Government convened the 7th United States-United Kingdom small- and medium-sized enterprise dialogue in Indio, California with tribal nations.  

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 

  • Voluntary recall of certain over-the-counter drugs and medical devices 
    • Family Dollar is initiating a voluntary product recall of certain over-the-counter drugs and medical devices. These items were stored outside of labeled temperature requirements and inadvertently shipped to certain stores on or around June 1, 2023 through September 21, 2023. These items were sold at those stores between June 1, 2023 and October 4, 2023.

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