Document Library
Reference Guide to U.S. Foreign-Trade Zones
The online version of our FY 2011 Reference Guide to U.S. Foreign-Trade Zones is now available for access. The Reference Guide, first prepared in 1986, is an invaluable tool for all foreign-trade zones program participants and is the only source for all historical data on the FTZ program. A significant amount of this information is not available elsewhere. Each individual zone has their own dedicated page which contains a listing of all Applications, Board Orders, Administrative Actions, all Alternative Site Framework Applications, and Temporary/Interim Manufacturing Authority Applications. All deactivated, closed, terminated, revoked, expired, lapsed, and transferred zones are listed. Zone data is organized and presented by zone number, state, company name, Zone Operator name, and business category.
Foreign-Trade Zone Annual Report Summary - FY 2010
We are pleased to provide, for the first time, a detailed analysis of the Foreign-Trade Zones Board Annual Report to Congress for Federal Fiscal Year 2010 (October 1, 2009 – September 30, 2010). This level of detail is the result of hundreds of hours spent analyzing three years of Foreign-Trade Zone Board data. It provides a very detailed analysis of all zones, subzones, and merchandise flowing through the zones program. A three year analysis is the key to identifying real trends because of the global economic crisis. Because of changes to the FTZ Board Report, no future Report Summaries are planned.
Due to popular demand from our clients, we have decided to produce a complete and current set of the Federal Statute, the Foreign-Trade Zones Board Regulations (published in the Federal Register on February 28, 2012), the U.S. Customs & Border Protection Regulations, and the CBP FTZ Manual. The documents will be updated yearly and be available exclusively to our clients so they can fulfill their compliance requirements of having current and up-to-date documentation. In addition the Source Documents will include, from our Reference Guide, a current list of all zone activity by Zone Number, State, Industry Type, and Company Name. We believe all of these documents will be a useful resource that can be downloaded for quick electronic or hard copy reference. This is your opportunity to be one of the first to have a complete set in a downloadable, searchable PDF format.
In conjunction with the Annual Review, most companies take the time to review and update their existing FTZ Operations Manual. As Section 146.6(b)(4) of the Customs Regulations requires that all FTZ Operations Manuals must be up to date, companies will need to be update their manual with new language concerning the FTZ Board Annual Report, the new MPF rate, HMF contact information requirement, retention of core FTZ documents, and retention of original records. It is also likely, from our experience, that many companies have made changes and or updates to their zone processes, management systems, and computer reports that would require updates as well.
Previously Recorded Webinars
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Every aspect of the FTZ program has been impacted by the significant changes to the Foreign-Trade Zone Board Regulations officially published in the Federal Register on February 28, 2012. It is the first change since 1991. Due to the importance of these changes affect all active zone operations, this one-hour Webinar provides a detailed legal/business practice analysis available exclusively for our clients. This download includes a PDF copy of the PowerPoint presentation and a recording of the webinar presented on March 1, 2012. |
FTZ Board Annual Report - New Requirements For the first time since 1934, the Foreign-Trade Zones Board dramatically changed their Annual Report requirements. All Annual Report information must be submitted electronically and a physical hard copy Annual Report will not be allowed. The Webinar provides a complete explanation of the new electronic filing requirements. This download includes a PDF copy of the PowerPoint presentation and a recording of the webinar presented on January 4, 2012. |
Purchasing & Sourcing Departments - Import Compliance Guidelines This webinar will provide a basic "import 101" explanation and explicit guidance on the necessary information that purchasing and sourcing departments should secure before issuing a purchase order, signing a contract, or some other means of initiating an import. It will stress the necessity of coordinating in advance with import compliance departments to secure HTSUS classifications, rates of duties, possible anti-dumping/countervailing duties, etc. This download includes a PDF copy of the PowerPoint presentation and a recording of the webinar presented on June 7, 2012. |
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Incoterms changed in 2011. Many firms have not updated their documents. A detailed description of all types of Incoterms with explicit guidance will be provided. Incoterms used on commercial documents should match insurance, transportation, and other documentation. This download includes a PDF copy of the PowerPoint presentation and a recording of the webinar presented on June 14, 2012. |
Customs Bonds & Liquidated Damages Companies must have Customs bonds but few understand them. A description of Customs Bonds with an explanation of the legal issues involving such bonds will be provided. The imposition of penalties and liquidated damages will be explained. This download includes a PDF copy of the PowerPoint presentation and a recording of the webinar presented on June 21, 2012. |
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The effective use of the new fully automated Customs In-Bond system that replaces the CBPF 7512 document will be described. All clients should use QP/WP, especially ones that operate under the FTZ weekly export procedure (146.68CR). This download includes a PDF copy of the PowerPoint presentation and a recording of the webinar presented on July 12, 2012. |
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Once a company has been provided notice that a CBP Audit will begin, exactly what necessary steps should occur? A description of the critical process for preparing prior to initiation of a Customs audit and for managing the audit process will be provided. This download includes a PDF copy of the PowerPoint presentation and a recording of the webinar presented on July 19, 2012. |
Broker/Forwarder Management - Limited Powers of Attorney The intricacies of the relationship between the importer and exporter and their Broker and Forwarder will be explained. A variety of methodologies from an exchange of emails, to an “expectations letter”, and to a contract will be described. The firm developed and copyrighted its own “Limited Powers of Attorney” for both imports and exports replacing the typical Customs Form 5291. The reasons for use of a Limited Power of Attorney will be explained. This download includes a PDF copy of the PowerPoint presentation and a recording of the webinar presented on July 26, 2012. |
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All FTZs should initiate an on-going internal audit process to insure that the information provided by spreadsheets and computer systems is in fact accurate and complete. The necessary FTZ Board and CBP documents to be retained will be identified. A thorough explanation of internal audit processes will be described. This download includes a PDF copy of the PowerPoint presentation and a recording of the webinar presented on August 2, 2012. |
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Few companies understand and utilize Carnets effectively. The program will explain when to and when not to use Carnets, exactly how to complete the forms, and the important import and export compliance methods that must be utilized to manage the process effectively. This download includes a PDF copy of the PowerPoint presentation and a recording of the webinar presented on August 16, 2012. |
Deemed Exports/Certifying I-29s An increasingly complex area is the question of deemed exports, i.e. when activities in the United States are “deemed” to have caused an export even though merchandise physically has not been exported. The process and the methodology to manage these issues and the new federal legal requirements for certifying I-29s will be explained. This download includes a PDF copy of the PowerPoint presentation and a recording of the webinar presented on August 23, 2012.
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Purchase Order Import/Export Terms & Conditions Most companies' purchase orders/contracts do not reference import/export issues or contain out-of-date terms. There are a wide variety of terms and conditions that can be added to purchase orders/contracts to effectively require vendors/suppliers to take necessary actions to assure a higher level of import compliance, manage the import and export process, and moderate the impact of any potential Customs fines and penalties. This download includes a PDF copy of the PowerPoint presentation and a recording of the webinar presented on August 30, 2012.
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In 1996 the Foreign-Trade Zones Act was amended to allow the assembly, installation, testing, and use of production equipment in foreign-trade zones. It provides a very significant financial savings opportunity to foreign-trade zone companies. A complete explanation of this savings opportunity will be provided. This download includes a PDF copy of the PowerPoint presentation and a recording of the webinar presented on September 6, 2012. |
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A full explanation of the Automated Export System (AES) will be provided by the retired Census Bureau's Chief of Regulations who developed and implemented the program. A description of how to initiate AES filings, how to review and validate AES filings of forwarders or third-parties employed to submit AES filings, and how to become an AES self-filer will be provided. This download includes a PDF copy of the PowerPoint presentation and a recording of the webinar presented on September 20, 2012. |
Managing Hand Carries of Merchandise Increasingly, Import/Export individuals in companies from the Chairman of the Board to sourcing, purchasing, and engineering employees hand carry merchandise from overseas vendors and suppliers to the U.S. or bring merchandise from the U.S. to suppliers and vendors in foreign countries. An effective management of this process is critically important and will be described. This download includes a PDF copy of the PowerPoint presentation and a recording of the webinar presented on September 27, 2012. |
Exporters Shippers Letters of Instruction To effectively manage the export process, exporters should issue Shippers Letters of Instruction (SLI). Most SLIs used today are still based upon the data required on the old Shippers Export Declaration forms as opposed to the AES screens. A complete explanation and detailed information on the process will be provided. This download includes a PDF copy of the PowerPoint presentation and a recording of the webinar presented on October 4, 2012. |
Import/Export Considerations in Purchases and Sales of Companies Typically the process of purchasing or selling a company never fully considers potential import and export liability. There is clear “successor” legal liability for imports and exports. The webinar will provide the primary questions to be asked in order to identify possible legal liabilities. This download includes a PDF copy of the PowerPoint presentation and a recording of the webinar presented on October 18, 2012. |
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The management of anti-dumping and countervailing duty issues has increasingly become extremely important. When it was determined that bonds were no longer available and cash deposits must be made, the process became much more expensive. Further, the change of “rates” can be difficult to manage effectively. This program provides an effective management mechanism for this issue. This download includes a PDF copy of the PowerPoint presentation and a recording of the webinar presented on October 25, 2012. |
Free Trade Agreement Compliance With the increasing number of FTAs and related agreements, a significant portion of material imported into the U.S. may be Customs duty-free. However, overseas companies do not consistently provide correct documentation and much of the merchandise imported that companies believe will be Customs duty-free are not. This program will describe the effective management of an FTA program. This download includes a PDF copy of the PowerPoint presentation and a recording of the webinar presented on November 1, 2012. |
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Increasingly companies that export provide their merchandise to a U.S. organization that represents and is paid by a customer in a foreign country to manage their export process from the U.S. and file the appropriate and correct AES documentation. Effectively organizing and managing routed exports can be a significant challenge. This program will describe the process. This download includes a PDF copy of the PowerPoint presentation and a recording of the webinar presented on November 8, 2012. |
Buying/Selling Agents - Customs Issues This download includes a PDF copy of the PowerPoint presentation and a recording of the webinar presented on November 29, 2012. |
Merchandise Returned for Repair - Customs Valuation Concerns For a wide variety of reasons, merchandise is returned for repair in the United States. The effective management of the Customs value of returns can make a significant financial impact to an importing company. There are a wide variety of compliance concerns. This webinar will describe the processes. This download includes a PDF copy of the PowerPoint presentation and a recording of the webinar presented on December 6, 2012. |
American Goods Returned (9801/9802) Management As American Goods Returned is a “red-flag” for Customs auditors, having an organized and structured management process will mean that the company can avoid Customs audits and penalties. An effective and compliant management process that allows the duty-free import of these goods will be explained. |
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Increasingly, as companies have automated the process, the quality and quantity of the information provided for advance shipping notifications (ASNs), invoices, bills of lading, and packing lists have deteriorated. Much of the information is so limited that it is not possible for companies to have a compliant import process. The effective automation of ASNs to automatically populate computer systems and avoid data entry error is a necessity. An explanation will be provided to insure that invoices, packing lists, and bills of lading meet U.S. Customs and PGA/OGA requirements. |
FTZ Annual Reconciliation /System Review Requirements Requirements for CBP Regulations Compliance Zones have special CBP annual reporting requirements. This webinar will cover the latest instructions on compliant performance and preparation of filings for the Annual Reconciliation Report, the Annual Reconciliation Certification Letter, and the Annual System Review. Detailed guidance will be provided on how inventory discrepancies and system deficiencies must be reported as required by 19 CFR 146.25 and 146.26, Customs Regulations. .This download includes a PDF copy of the PowerPoint presentation and a recording of the webinar presented on January 17, 2013. |
Customs Value Issues – Assists/Other Payments How to Identify/Resolve These Value Issues Companies often overlook transactions that are subject to assists and supplemental payments because these transactions are often not readily visible to import compliance personnel. This webinar will cover the legal principles of assists and other payments, including examples of types, and the Customs and importer strategies and methods to identify and declare these assists and supplemental payments. This download includes a PDF copy of the PowerPoint presentation and a recording of the webinar presented on February 7, 2013. |
Export Party Responsibilities – USPPI, FPPI, Forwarder, Carrier, Routed Transactions
There are many roles and responsibilities of each of the parties involved in Export Transactions and Routed Export Transactions. These parties include the USPPI, FPPI, Forwarder, and the Carrier. This webinar will also discuss Powers of Attorney as it relates to filing Electronic Export Information through the Automated Export System (AES). This download includes a PDF copy of the PowerPoint presentation and a recording of the webinar presented on March 21, 2013. |
NAFTA/FTA – Qualification and Certificates of Origin Basic NAFTA/FTA Qualification and Document Requirements For your company to take advantage of NAFTA and other Free Trade Agreements (FTA), certificates of origin documents must be completed. This becomes complicated by the requirement of back-up data to support the information loaded into the certification. Failure to have the proper back up can result in forfeitures of any duty savings, potential investigation from U.S. or foreign government Customs, and fines and penalties. This webinar will review the basics on how to complete the FTA/NAFTA Certificate documents and what constitutes acceptable backup records. This download includes a PDF copy of the PowerPoint presentation and a recording of the webinar presented on April 18, 2013. |