CBP CAFTA Textile Cumulation Goods

Commodities:

Apparel goods of chapter 62, cut or knit-to-shape, and sewn or otherwise assembled in a CAFTA-DR country, utilizing materials from Mexico, as provided for in chapter 98, subchapter XXII, U.S. Note 21

Quota Period:

January 1, 2024, through December 31, 2024

Opening Date:

Monday January 2, 2024

Restraint Levels

OVERALL LIMIT	100,000,000 square meter equivalents (SME) Goods of chapter 62 sub-limits use HTS1 9822.05.11 for quota limited entries.
SUB LIMITS	45,000,000 Square Meter Equivalent (SME) Trousers, skirts, and parts thereof, of cotton or man-made fibers, or subject to cotton or man-made fiber restraints (see chapter 98, subchapter XXII, U.S. note 21(b)(i) for qualifying HTS numbers.)
SUBLIMITS	20,000,000 SME sublimit for cotton blue denim Trousers and skirts (see chapter 98, subchapter XXII, U.S. note 21(b)(ii) for qualifying HTS numbers.)
SUBLIMITS	1,000,000 SME sublimit for apparel goods, not knitted or crocheted.  Containing 36 percent or more by weight of wool or subject to wool restraints (see chapter 98, subchapter XXII, U.S. note 21(b)(iii) for qualifying HTS numbers.)

HTS Numbers

First Tariff Field	Second Tariff Field
9822.05.11	see chapter 98, subchapter XXII, U.S. Note 21(b) for details
9822.05.13	see chapter 98, subchapter XXII, U.S. Note 21(c) for details of certain wool garments that are exempt from the limit.

Reporting Instructions:

Use entry type code 02, 06, 07, 12, 23, 32, 38, or 52

Report in units of measure as shown in the HTSUS.

Read more from CBP HERE.

Read more from Agathon Associates HERE.

Virginia tactical gear & equipment company agrees to pay more than $2 million to settle allegations related to Berry Amendment

November 20, 2023, Virginia tactical gear & equipment company agrees to pay more than $2 million to settle allegations related to Berry Amendment

• https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdoh/pr/virginia-tactical-gear-equipment-company-agrees-pay-more-2-million-settle-allegations
• London Bridge Trading Company, Ltd. (“LBT”) entered the settlement with the United States and qui tam relator Ann Keating.
• DLA purchased a variety of textile-based products from LBT, including clothing, armor, boots, belts, bags, rope, slings, backpacks and medical pouches. This settlement specifically addressed load-out bags purchased from LBT that violated the TAA and Berry Amendment.
• The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought by an employee of LBT under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. These provisions allow a private party, known as a relator, to file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. Under the terms of the settlement agreement the relator will receive a share of the proceeds.

Duffel Bag Contract Awarded

November 30, 2023, PRAK Industries LLC,* Camuy, Puerto Rico, has been awarded a maximum $42,478,800 fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity for duffel bags. This was a competitive 8(a) small business set-aside acquisition with five responses received. This is a two-year contract with no option periods. The ordering period end date is Nov. 29, 2025. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2024 through 2026 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-24-D-0018).

*Small Business / *8(a) small business

Army and Air Force Coat and Trouser Contract Awarded

November 28, 223, M M Manufacturing LLC,** Lajas, Puerto Rico, has been awarded a maximum $9,969,600 modification (P00016) exercising the second one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SPE1C1-22-D-1517) with four one-year option periods for various types of coats and trousers. This is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. The ordering period end date is Nov. 30, 2024. Using military services are Army and Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2024 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

**Woman-owned small business in historically underutilized business zones

Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee

On November 21, 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection published in the Federal Register (88 FR 81093) Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee.

The Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) will hold its quarterly meeting on Wednesday, December 13, 2023, in Washington, DC. The meeting will be open for the public to attend in person or via webinar.

The COAC will hear from the current subcommittees on the topics listed below:

1. The Intelligent Enforcement Subcommittee will provide updates on the work completed and topics discussed in its working groups as well as present proposed recommendations for COAC's consideration. The Antidumping/Countervailing Duty (AD/CVD) Working Group will provide updates regarding its work and discussions on importer compliance with AD/CVD requirements. The Bond Working Group will report on the ongoing discussions and status updates for eBond requirements and new guidance that CBP is developing for the trade community on setting bond amounts. The Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Process Modernization Working Group will report on the development of a portal on the CBP IPR web page and other enhancements in communications between CBP, rights holders, and the trade community regarding enforcement actions, and anticipates providing proposed recommendations for the committee's consideration regarding these matters. The Forced Labor Working Group (FLWG) will report on the progress of the implementation of prior recommendations made by COAC and anticipates providing new proposed recommendations for the committee's consideration.

2. The Next Generation Facilitation Subcommittee will provide updates on its working groups. The Passenger Air Operations (PAO) Working Group continues focusing its discussions on CBP security seal processing (E-seals and badges), elimination of outdated or obsolete forms, and global entry/trusted traveler programs and will provide an update on those discussions. The Customs Interagency Industry Working Group (CII) continues to work on identifying data redundancies to improve efficiencies for the government and the trade. Although the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) 2.0 Working Group has been on hiatus, they plan to meet during the quarter to have an internal review and will provide an update on ACE 2.0 and the remaining business case scenario status.

3. The Rapid Response Subcommittee will provide updates from the Broker Modernization Working Group and the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) Chapter 7 Working Group. The Broker Modernization Working Group meets regularly and continues to focus on Continuing Education for Licensed Customs Brokers and the Customs Broker Licensing Exams. The USMCA Working Group meets bi-weekly with the expectation that proposed recommendations will be developed and submitted for consideration at the COAC public meeting. The current focus of this working group is to review the Chapter 7 articles of the USMCA and identify gaps in implementation between the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

4. The Secure Trade Lanes Subcommittee will provide updates on its six active working groups: the Export Modernization Working Group, the In-Bond Working Group, the Trade Partnership and Engagement Working Group, the Pipeline Working Group, the Cross-Border Recognition Working Group, and the De Minimis Working Group. The Export Modernization Working Group has continued its work on the electronic export manifest pilot program and recently brought in colleagues from the Canadian Border Services Agency to discuss required data elements. The In-Bond Working Group has continued its focus on the implementation of prior recommendations made by COAC. The Trade Partnership and Engagement Working Group has begun its work on the elements of the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) security program. The Pipeline Working Group has been discussing the most appropriate ``next step'' commodities and potential users of Distributed Ledger Technology to engage once the pilot for tracking pipeline-borne goods deploys. The Cross-Border Recognition Working Group began to meet again to develop tasks specific to its statement of work. The De Minimis Working Group has continued its work on strengthening the supply chain and mitigating risks in the low-value package environment.

CBP officers seized multiple designer items for bearing counterfeit trademarks

November 21, 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Buffalo Port of Entry, Peace Bridge warehouse, seized multiple designer items for bearing counterfeit trademarks.

Over the past few weeks, CBP officers inspected a package listed as ‘gift items’ that contained multiple designer handbags and a pair of sneakers. After a thorough examination of the merchandise, the handbags and sneakers were determined to be inauthentic and were seized for bearing counterfeit trademarks. Had the items been authentic, the total Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) value would be approximately $18,800 dollars.

Read more HERE

Certain Pillows and Seat Cushions, Components Thereof, and Packaging Thereof; Notice of a Commission Determination To Issue a General Exclusion Order, a Limited Exclusion Order, and Cease and Desist Orders; Termination of Investigation

On November 17, 2023, the U.S> International Trade Commission published in the Federal Register (88 FR 80334) Commission Determination To Issue a General Exclusion Order, a Limited Exclusion Order, and Cease and Desist Orders; Termination of Investigation.

Notice is hereby given that the U.S. International Trade Commission (‘‘Commission’’) has determined to issue a limited exclusion order (‘‘LEO’’) directed to Foshan Dirani Design Furniture Co., Ltd. (‘‘Dirani Design’’) barring entry of certain pillows and seat cushions, components thereof, and packaging thereof that infringe certain claims of U.S. Patent No. 10,863,837 (‘‘the ’837 patent’’); a general exclusion order (‘‘GEO’’) barring entry of certain pillows and seat cushions, components thereof, and packaging thereof that infringe certain claims of U.S. Patent No. 10,772,445 (‘‘the ’445 patent’’); and cease and desist orders (‘‘CDOs’’) directed to respondents Dirani Design, Dongguan Jingrui Silicone Technology Co., Ltd., Hangzhou Lydia Sports Goods Co., Ltd., and Shenzhen Leadfar Industry Co., Ltd.

Flemish Master Weavers FTZ Application Approved Subject to Quantitative Restriction

On November 13, 2023, the Foreign-Trade Zone Board published in the Federal Register (88 FR 77549) Approval for Production Authority; Foreign-Trade Zone 186; Flemish Master Weavers; (Machine-Made Woven Area Rugs); Waterville, Maine.

The application for production authority under zone procedures within Subzone 186A on behalf of Flemish Master Weavers, as described in the application and Federal Register notice, is approved, subject to the FTZ Act and the Board's regulations, including section 400.13, and further subject to the following restrictions:

1. the annual quantitative volume of continuous filament polypropylene yarn that FMW may admit into Subzone 186A under nonprivileged foreign (NPF) status (19 CFR 146.42) is limited to 2.6 million kilograms; and,

2. approval is limited to a period of five years, subject to extension upon review.

Children’s Nightgowns Recalled Due to Burn Hazard and Violation of Federal Flammability Standards; Sold by iMOONZZZ Exclusively on Amazon.com

This recall involves four styles of iMOONZZZ-branded children’s nightgowns. The nightgowns were sold in sizes 3-4T, 5-6 Years, 6-7 Years, 7-8 Years, 8-9 Years, and 10-12 Years. “iMOONZZZ,” “Made in China,” the size, the fiber content and the washing instructions are printed on a sewn-in, side-seam label.

 

Style	Style Color	Fabric content
Nightgowns for Girls, Long Vintage Soft Cotton Sleepwear, Full Length Nightdress	White, pink, blue, Vintage floral, Sakura, Rainbow Castle, Colorful Floral, Sweet Rose, Striped Flowers	100% Cotton
Nightgowns for Girls, Long Vintage Soft Cotton Sleepwear, Full Length Short Sleeve Nightdress	White, pink, blue, Vintage Floral, Sakura	100% Cotton
Nightgowns for Girls, Soft Cotton Long Sleeve Sleepwear, Full Length Mesh Nightdress	White	Shell: 100% Polyester,  Lining: 95% Cotton, 5% Spandex
Girls Princess Nightgown, Winter Soft Fleece Long Sleeve Sleepwear	Blue, white, pink	95% Polyester, 5% Elastane