IFCBA Chairman, Mr. Shantanu Bhadkamkar, attended the Consultative Workshop ‘Countering illegal wildlife trade: Collaborative Actions along Transportation and Supply Chains’ on 29-30 January 2015 in Bangkok.

The workshop presentations and high resolution files of the graphic records are now accessible through the following link: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/qh34jsd8cc7g0jx/AACTR-kRB0xJoP276Qb2vOXpa?dl=0 

Last year’s peak season in Mexico brought about the worst capacity shortage we’ve experienced in a decade. The imbalance in trade between the U.S. and Mexico left shippers scrambling to find truck and rail capacity as carriers were forced to reposition empty equipment in order to meet the demand.

The Australian Customs and Border Protection Service (ACBPS) is continuing its crackdown on unscrupulous members of the international supply chain.

Following warrant activity, ACBPS has in the past few weeks suspended a customs warehouse licence, a corporate customs broker licence, and three customs broker licences belonging to individuals.

CBP issued an interim rule (here), effective Feb. 10, that amends its regulations to implement the customs-related provisions of the U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement (AUFTA). Although the agreement entered into force in 2005, CBP had not yet issued implementing regulations. Comments on the interim rule are due April 13.

Amendments to the HS Nomenclature that will enter into force on 1 January 2017.

The WCO has published the accepted amendments to the Harmonized System (HS) Nomenclature that will enter into force on 1 January 2017. It includes 233 sets of amendments, divided as follows : agricultural sector 85; chemical sector 45; wood sector 13; textile sector 15; base metal sector 6; machinery sector 25; transport sector 18; other sectors 26.

On January 16, 2015, the Bureau of Industry and Security published a rule in the Federal Register to implement some of the changes in Cuba policy that the President announced on December 17, 2014. The rule makes changes to License Exceptions GFT and CCD and also creates a new license exception Support for the Cuban People (SCP). Additionally it covers case-by-case licensing policy for items for environmental protection of U.S. and international air quality, waters and coastlines.