As the Trump administration takes shape, the potential impact of the negative trade rhetoric heard during the campaign on the US international trade community is a concern. After 22 years, the North American Free Trade Agreement should be reviewed, while being mindful of the adverse effects of trade protectionism. As to the Trans-Pacific Partnership and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership agreements, efforts should focus on ensuring that their economic benefits accrue to all signatories.
The Automated Commercial Environment was scheduled to be completed in 2016. With Executive Order 13659, “Streamlining the Import/Export Process,” all 47 government agencies, involved with international trade, were to be on the Single Window. Despite substantial progress to date, neither action has been completed and still requires further congressional funding. The National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America has been actively involved from the beginning of this initiative and continues providing feedback on essential functionality needed for final implementation. The ACE/ITDS, which will define how brokers and the importing community interact with all government agencies, is still not complete. Achieving the promised trade facilitation, data collection efficiencies, and streamlined processes will require further investment and work in 2017.
In February 2016, the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act mandated that Customs and Border Protection focus on enforced compliance. At this writing, CBP is formulating new regulations concerning customs broker responsibilities and importer verification procedures. In addition, TFTEA increased the de minimis from $200 to $800, a long-time World Customs Organization initiative to assist micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. In 2017, this provision will impact current supply chain practices, unintended parties making admissibility decisions, CBP’s ability to adequately target the growing e-commerce trends for intellectual property rights, forced labor, anti-dumping, and countervailing duty violations.