Did You Know That Customs Brokers Must Keep The Names Of Their Clients Confidential? by Oscar Gonzalez, Attorney If you are customs broker, are you allowed to post the names of your importer clients on your website business card, letterhead, or other business material? May you give out to prospective clients the names of your importer clients? Are you allowed to automate your “not available” email responses or voice mail messages to show that you are working at the location of a client? Is it permissible to client name-drop at dinner parties? The answer to these questions is probably no — unless your client has given you a written release allowing you to share its information. The only other exception may be when enforcement authorities are involved. If enforcement authorities are involved, consult with a lawyer to figure out what is possible and what is required. From CBP’s perspective, and it has regulations and statutes to support its position, customs brokers are legally obligated to secure the confidentiality of not only entry data belonging to clients, but also the identity of the clients. CBP issued two relevant rulings: HQ H221355 (November 21, 2012) and HQ 116025 (September 29, 2003). CBP concluded that 19 C.F.R. § 111.24 prohibits “the sharing of information provided on entry forms and connected with these records, such as a client’s identity (i.e., name) and location (i.e., address).” If you paid or are paying Section 301 duties on Chinese imports, consider suing to collect a refund. While there are no guarantees, there have been positive developments for the plaintiff importers in the litigation before the US Court of International Trade. Don't lose out. If you have questions, please contact our law firm . Proposed Regulations To Require Continuing Education for Individual Customs Broker License Holders Regulations To Improve Administration and Enforcement of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Laws Imposition of Additional Sanctions on Russia Under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991; Correction Imposing Sanctions on Certain Persons With Respect to the Humanitarian and Human Rights Crisis in Ethiopia Increasing Transparency of 232 Investigations by Requiring a Public Submission for an Application for an Investigation National Association of Manufacturers v. CBP (Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit) - Invalidated a drawback regulation. US v. NYWL Enterprises (CIT) - Fraudulently misclassified 107 entries of imported Siamese coaxial cable. TR International Trading Co. v US (Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit) - Can an importer sue ​after liquidation to overturn country of origin determination? United States v. Kim (ED Virginia) - Sentencing of defendants who bid on and won government contracts that required them to supply USA-origin products, but instead procured products from China. Iranian National Sentenced for Illegally Exporting Military Sensitive Items Chinese National Sentenced for Illegal Exports to Northwestern Polytechnical University Three Maryland Residents Facing Federal Indictment for Attempting to Illegally Export Arms and Ammunition to Nigeria Global Plywood and Lumber Trading Sentenced for Importing Illegally-Sourced Wood from the Amazon Michigan Biodiesel Exporter Sentenced to Prison for Tax Fraud Falsely Claimed Had incurred $14.2 Million in Biodiesel Fuel Expenses Georgia company and owner admit guilt in scheme to evade U.S. national security trade sanctions ​​​ CSMS #49634975 - GUIDANCE: Section 301 China Duties Extension of Product Exclusions ​​ CSMS #49600765 - Modifications to Antidumping Duty and Countervailing Duty Regulations CSMS #49573954 - GUIDANCE: Recommended Submission of Spreadsheets for Entry Changes Being Protested CSMS #49330998 - FDA Warns Brokers to Not Import Animal Ivermectin to Prevent or Treat COVID-19 The following is based on a recent court case. Can you figure out the correct tariff classification? S.C. Johnson imports Ziploc® brand reclosable sandwich bags. CBP classified the sandwich bags under 3923.21.00: [a]rticles for the conveyance or packing of goods, of plastics; stoppers, lids, caps and other closures, of plastics: Sacks and bags (including cones): Of polymers of ethylene. Heading 3923 reads: [a]rticles for the conveyance or packing of goods, of plastics; stoppers, lids, caps and other closures, of plastics. Explanatory Note 39.23 says that heading 3923 includes: boxes, cases, crates, sacks and bags (including cones and refuse sacks), casks, cans, carboys, bottles and flasks" and "[c]ups without handles having the character of containers used for the packing or conveyance of certain foodstuffs. S.C. Johnson disagrees with CBP and thinks that the correct classification is 3924.90.56: [t]ableware, kitchenware, other household articles and hygienic or toilet articles, of plastics: Other: Other Heading 3924 reads: [t]ableware, kitchenware, other household articles and hygienic or toilet articles, of plastics. CBP claims that 3923.21.00 is correct because heading 3923 is the more specific description. S.C. Johnson disagrees with CBP and claims that 3924.90.56 is correct because Heading 3923 applies only to "articles used for commercial purposes” and "articles used to package or convey bulk or commercial merchandise." Who do you think is correct? Why? Click here to read the court's decision ​. ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌   ‌