This is the next Reasonable Care Checklist: Intellectual Property Rights ~ Reminder for this series: Reasonable care is an explicit responsibility on the part of the importer. Basic Question: Have you determined whether your merchandise or its packaging use any trademarks or copyrighted material or are patented? If so, can you establish that you have a legal right to import … [Read more...]
Chinese VAT Tax Confusion
Lack of clarity of the new Chinese VAT Tax implemented on August 1st, 2013 is causing mounting frustration for Shippers & Freight Forwarders. Since the laws are so vague, many carriers are interpreting them differently and billing VAT to shippers/forwarders based on their interpretation causing inconsistency with the carriers. In addition it is making it very difficult to … [Read more...]
Reasonable Care Checklist: Country of Origin / Marking
This is the next Reasonable Care Checklist: Country of Origin / Marking / Quota Basic Question: Have you ascertained the correct country of origin for the imported merchandise? 1. Have you reported the correct country of origin on CBP entry documents? 2. Have you assured that the merchandise is properly marked upon entry with the correct country of origin (if required) … [Read more...]
Reasonable Care Checklist: Valuation
REMEMBER: Reasonable care is an explicit responsibility on the part of the importer. This is the next Reasonable Care Checklist: VALUATION Basic Questions: Do you know the “price actually paid or payable” for your merchandise? Do you know the terms of sale? Whether there will be rebates, tie-ins, indirect costs, additional payments? Whether “assists” were … [Read more...]
Counterfeit Consumer Goods Seized
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized a shipment of 70,000 counterfeit consumer goods & products worth an estimated $3.9 million worth of the illicit products (like razor blades, toys, sunglasses, and batteries) for violating intellectual property laws. The shipment arrived from China; the cargo was identified for physical examination upon arriving in … [Read more...]