NEWS & UPDATES

Importing goods into the U.S. comes with rules designed to ensure fair competition. Two major tools the U.S. government uses to protect domestic industries are Antidumping Duties (AD) and Countervailing Duties (CVD). What is "Dumping"? Dumping happens when a foreign company sells a product in the U.S. at a price that is lower than its "normal value." "Normal value" usually means the price the foreign company charges in its own home market, the price it charges in other countr

What are Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)? Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) protect creations such as brand names, logos, inventions, designs, and creative works. These protections help businesses safeguard their products and prevent others from selling counterfeit or unauthorized copies. When fake goods enter the U.S. market, they can harm consumers, businesses, and the economy. What role does CBP play in protecting Intellectual Property Rights? U.S. Customs and Border P

What is a CBP bond? A CBP bond is a financial guarantee that ensures importers, brokers, and other parties involved in importing goods will follow U.S. Customs laws and pay any required duties, taxes, fees, or penalties. If these obligations are not met, the bond helps protect the U.S. government from financial loss. Why does CBP require bonds? CBP requires bonds to: Protect government revenue Encourage compliance with customs laws and regulations Ensure importers meet their

Beginning July 8, 2026, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) will begin using its new PGA Message Set (eFiling) system. Unlike some other government agencies, CPSC will not require customs entries to be rejected if certain product safety information is missing. Importers can still submit entries without the CPSC message, even for products with specific HTS code flags, although CPSC encourages including the information when it is required or recommended.

Overview Importing goods into the United States involves more than simply shipping products across borders. One of the most important parts of the import process is determining the customs value of merchandise. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) uses the concept of bona fide sales and sales for exportation to the United States to determine whether the transaction value method can be used. Below are answers to some common questions about these requirements. What is a bon

What is a cosmetic? A cosmetic is a product that is used to clean, improve, or change a person's appearance. This includes products like makeup, lotion, shampoo, perfume, and skincare products. Cosmetics imported into the United States must follow the same FDA rules as products made in the U.S. What does the FDA check when cosmetics are imported? The FDA checks imported cosmetics to make sure they are safe and meet U.S. regulations. They may inspect products or test samples t

Overview Proper country of origin marking is an important requirement when importing wearing apparel into the United States. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) requires imported apparel to be labeled so consumers can easily identify where a product was made. Below are answers to some common questions about these requirements. What are the country of origin marking requirements? Most imported wearing apparel must be marked with its country of origin. These requirements h

What are the CPSC regulations regarding phthalates in children’s toys? Congress and the CPSC strictly limit eight specific types of phthalates (which are chemicals used to make plastics softer and more flexible) to no more than 0.1% in plasticized components of children's toys and childcare products. However, third-party laboratory testing for phthalates is not required if the product is made exclusively from certain specified materials, including seven specific plastics (suc

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is introducing new reporting requirements for certain copper imports under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act. These requirements come from Presidential Proclamation 11021, which requires importers to provide information about where the copper in imported products was smelted and where the final copper articles were cast. Starting July 30, 2026, importers of certain copper wire and cable products classified under HTSUS subheadings

Beginning on June 24, 2026, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) permanently ended the rule that allowed international mail packages worth $800 or less to enter the U.S. without going through the normal customs process. Starting July 24, 2026, these packages must follow a new postal informal entry process, which generally applies to mailed goods valued at $2,500 or less. The new guidance explains who can use this process, what information must be submitted and any require

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has announced a policy change that will simplify import and export requirements for certain seafood products. Beginning July 23, 2026, squid, octopus, cuttlefish, and other cephalopods will officially be included in the definition of “shellfish” under FWS regulations. This change means that seafood shipments containing these species that are imported or exported for human or animal consumption will no longer require FWS declarations, l

Importing goods like wearing apparels, household products, automobiles, or industrial parts can be exciting and profitable. But before...

On February 10, 2025, the President issued Proclamation 10896 , expanding Section 232 tariffs to cover additional steel derivative...

In line with the July 31, 2025 Executive Order (EO) “Further Modifying the Reciprocal Tariff Rates” , U.S. Customs and Border Protection...

CBP De Minimis Shipments video: https://www.dhs.gov/medialibrary/assets/video/57841 E-commerce is rapidly growing in the U.S., driving a...

By U.S. Customs & Border Protection Compliance Insights Importing garments into the United States involves more than logistics — it...

In the world of international trade, few terms cause more confusion for U.S. importers than DDP – Delivered Duty Paid . While DDP may...

As U.S. tariffs rise and become more complex, there is a growing risk that some parties may attempt to misclassify goods, undervalue...

The Executive Order issued by the White House aims to prevent overlapping tariffs from being applied cumulatively to the same imported...

The purpose of this message is to provide further guidance on the additional duties due on imported merchandise which were imposed by...