Articles

Import

How to Prepare for the Food Safety Modernization Act

How to Prepare for the Food Safety Modernization Act

When President Obama signed the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) in January 2011, it marked the first time in more than 70 years that the U.S. government introduced any significant legislative change to the food industry. The motive was clear: Educate and instruct public and private sectors on how […]

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Incoterms® 2010: Speaking the Same Language

Incoterms® 2010: Speaking the Same Language

Incoterms 2010 rules are 11 terms of shipment and delivery used in business-to-business purchase contracts and tangible portable goods sales. The rules were developed by the International Chamber of Commerce, a Paris-based organization providing trade-related rules and services through its worldwide network of affiliates. Since their inception in 1936, Incoterms have received worldwide acceptance. They […]

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Christopher Springer

Are You Ready to ACE It?

On Feb. 19, 2014, President Obama signed an Executive Order intended to streamline the export/import process. It establishes December 2016 as the completion date for the International Trade Data System (ITDS), which will allow businesses to transmit, through an electronic "single-window," all the data required to import or export goods. The Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) […]

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Jim Preuninger

What Midmarket Companies Need to Know About Trade Compliance

Q: What is the status of midmarket companies in the global trade arena? A: Global trade has become increasingly attractive to the midmarket—defined as companies with revenues between $5 million and $1 billion—because of lower sourcing and production costs in some developing countries, as well as rising consumption in some overseas markets. Between 2012 and […]

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Stephen Hamilton

10 Steps to Import Compliance

Ever-changing import rules enforced by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) require companies to remain current on regulations and process methodologies—or risk delays and noncompliance fines. Organizations that fail to comply with current customs rules—even in ignorance—can be designated as high risk, and subject to more frequent inspections and longer processing times in the future. […]

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Matt Goodman

Preparing for New Trade Regulations

Major trade regulation changes are affecting the global supply chain, unprecedented in both number and magnitude. Although the changes impact some industries more than others, every company that imports into, or exports from, the United States or Canada will be affected. The majority of the regulations require new licensing, while others mandate significant software updates. […]

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Ensuring Import Compliance

Companies moving products into the United States must not only develop expertise about U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regulations, but also make a continual effort to stay up to date on changes to the rules. Paul Rasmussen, CEO of Zepol, a Minnesota-based provider of international trade tools, offers these tips for ensuring customs clearance […]

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Global Logistics—April 2014

Global Logistics—April 2014

U.S. Creates ‘Single Window’ for Import/Export Data Transmission The U.S. government has always been light years behind the private sector in technology innovation and implementation. So President Barack Obama’s executive order to streamline U.S. import and export documentation shines a ray of light on the trade community as the government emerges from the Dark Ages […]

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Mara Gonzalez: Import Expert

Mara Gonzalez: Import Expert

Mara Gonzalez is director of purchasing at Vino del Sol, a specialist in Argentinean wines that also markets wines from California, Chile, Japan, and New Zealand. Based in Arlington, Va., Gonzalez has served in her current position since 2011. Responsibilities: Overseeing the entire supply chain, with work focused on purchasing, administration, and regulatory compliance. Experience: […]

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Alan Tonelson

To Rebuild America’s Economy, Keep Products at Home

Despite anecdotal evidence of a comeback brewing in domestic industry, wide-ranging new data repeatedly point to major—even mounting—manufacturing woes, including flatlining growth and record trade deficits. More importantly, advanced domestic manufacturing keeps failing a crucial competitive test: holding onto markets in its own enormous American backyard. Imports continue to gain at the expense of U.S. […]

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Daniel Griswold

Getting in the Zone: FTZs Fuel Improved Logistics

For decades, America’s foreign trade zones (FTZs) have provided a valuable platform for U.S. companies competing in global export markets. The FTZ program was established in 1934 to expedite and encourage foreign commerce. The nation’s 500 zones and subzones are secured areas, often near or adjacent to U.S. ports of entry, and are considered outside […]

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Jose Fernando Nava

Capitalizing on Mexico’s Economic Growth

Continuing economic development across Mexico is opening the doors to exciting growth opportunities for U.S. businesses. Mexico is already the United States’ third-largest trading partner, while the United States ranks first among Mexico’s trading partners. Mexico’s established manufacturing base has created many jobs and an increasingly prosperous working class. As a result, Mexico is attracting […]

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