Interesting reading from the Congressional Research Service 22 March 2013 Report to Congress: “U.S. Customs and Border Protection: Trade Facilitation, Enforcement, and Security”

http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/207077.pdf

In particular, see Trusted Trader Program Benefits, pages 28 – 29 of the report, pages 32-33 of the pdf:

…some businesses have described the benefits received by C-TPAT members as inadequate, especially [...]

Eric Younger of Adaptive Technologies asks the Geek:

I have a question regarding an ITAR controlled export to Italy. I have just received my export license from the DDTC and will be ready to ship in approximately two weeks give or take. This is my first export experience and not exactly sure which [...]

Thanks to the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA) for this.  They’ve created this jam-packed document to help freight forwarders in one of their bigger headaches: getting their exporter customers to understand and accept their export compliance responsibilities.

Many exporters wrongly believe that the freight forwarder is supposed to do all of this.  [...]

Another question from a reader of the blog:

I have a question about assists.  If I send a component from the U.S. to Canada for repair and also send parts to repair the component, are the parts considered assists?  The component is owned by the company as are the parts that are sent. [...]

I will be presenting at the International Traffic in Arms Regulations Summit, hosted by the Pacific Northwest Defense Coalition and the Export Council of Oregon.  The event takes place 23 – 24 January 2013 at the World Trade Center in downtown Portland, OR.  Details and registration found here.  See you there!

A question from a reader about informal import of artificial jewelry from GSP country:

I am trying to start a small business where I import and then sell artificial jewelry from India.  I live in India and when people come to visit, I have been sending the jewelry back with them as extra pieces [...]

Everyone’s focused on the election.  But let’s not forget Veterans Day.  We may not always agree on why we send them into conflict, but they all deserve our honor and respect.  May they all come safely home to welcomes like these.

OK, now let’s get serious.

If you vote, vote for those who will provide for our [...]

Yes, Virginia, there is a Hell.

A question comes in from a reader prompted by the Triangular Shipments video, except it is more import related while the video was from a U.S. export perspective.

There is a website representing artists and artworks in Switzerland. (Not registered as a company)
The goods are of course artworks
The artworks are located in each artist country.
People who [...]

Interesting question from a reader:

In October 2011, my company sent a cargo of copper samples from the port of Callao, Peru to the port of Odessa, Ukraine. We used a local customs agents for the paper work and loading of the cargo, and the Freight Carrier is XXXXXXXXX.

The cargo arrived in January to Odessa, and [...]