OFAC Issues General License Authorizing Certain Transactions with Respect to Seafood, Alcoholic Beverages and Non-Industrial Diamond Importations from the Russian Federation The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has issued GENERAL LICENSE NO.17: Authorizing Transactions Related to Certain Imports Prohibited by Executive Order of March 11, 2022 Part A of this general license states, “all transactions prohibited by section 1(a)(i) of Executive Order of March 11, 2022, Prohibiting Certain Imports, Exports, and New Investment With Respect to Continued Russian Federation Aggression, that are ordinarily incident and necessary to the importation into the United States of fish, seafood, and preparations thereof; alcoholic beverages; or non-industrial diamonds of Russian Federation origin pursuant to written contracts or written agreements entered into prior to March 11, 2022 are authorized through 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time, March 25, 2022.” Go to the CSMS for more. Read the CSMS Here. OFAC Issues General License Authorizing Certain Transactions with Respect to Petroleum Importations from the Russian Federation The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has issued GENERAL LICENSE NO.16: ”Authorizing Transactions Related to Certain Imports Prohibited by Executive Order of March 8, 2022, Prohibiting Certain Imports and New Investments With Respect to Continued Russian Federation Efforts to Undermine the Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity of Ukraine.”  Part A of this general license states, “all transactions prohibited by Executive Order (EO) of March 8, 2022, Prohibiting Certain Imports and New Investments With Respect to Continued Russian Federation Efforts to Undermine the Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity of Ukraine, that are ordinarily incident and necessary to the importation into the United States of crude oil; petroleum; petroleum fuels, oils, and products of their distillation; liquefied natural gas; coal; and coal products of Russian Federation origin pursuant to written contracts or written agreements entered prior to March 8, 2022 are authorized through 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time, April 22, 2022.” Go to the CSMS for more. Read the CSMS Here. To provide clarity on the implementation of the textile/apparel Tariff Preference Level (TPL) provision of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Effective July 1, 2020. This message provides clarity on the implementation of the textile/apparel TPL provisions on certain apparel goods of Chapters 61 and 62 and textile goods, other than of wadding, of heading 9619 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule entering into the United States under the TPL provisions of the USMCA as set out in Annex 6-A (Special Provisions). Read the CSMS Here. BRASS Truck Shipments Will No Longer Be Supported Border Release Advanced Screening and Selectivity (BRASS) provided for the tracking and releasing of highly repetitive shipments at CBP’s land border locations. The utilization of BRASS as an entry type will be discontinued when Truck Manifest Modernization (TMM) goes live for the ports listed below that are participating in the Truck phase deployment and ultimately will cease when deployment goes out to all remaining ports. The C4 code will not be supported going forward, and an alternative entry method must be utilized. This is effective for Truck only and will not affect the use of BRASS as a shipment type for Rail at this time. The schedule is listed below for reference. ACE Truck Manifest Modernization: Phase 2 & 3 Rollout Schedule: Brownsville – Deployment January 31 Buffalo – Deployment March 13 Laredo – Deployment April 3 Blaine – Deployment April 24 Detroit – Deployment May 15 Remaining Ports – Deployment June 5 Training will be available as Roll out Proceeds June 20, 2022, R4 will be retired. All related functionalities will be available for CBP users in the modernized application Read the CSMS Here. Processed Pistachio HTS Code The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is providing clarification on the sampling requirement for imported shelled and inshell pistachios. Only raw and blanched imported pistachios are to be sampled and tested for aflatoxin. The AMS, Market Development Division (MDD) only monitors the aflatoxin sampling and testing of raw and blanched, shelled and inshelled pistachios under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) codes 0802.52.0000 and 0802.51.0000. These products will be filed under the MO5 message set. The requirement applies to any handler who handles 5,000 pounds or more of dried pistachios during the pistachio fiscal year (from September 1 to August 31 annually) and the level of aflatoxin must not exceed 15 parts per billion in any lot. USDA or USDA-approved laboratories accredited by the AMS, Science and Technology Program will test the aflatoxin levels for imported raw and blanched, shelled and inshell pistachios and will send the results to MDD in addition to the importer. If you are importing other processed pistachios, please use the HTS code 2008.19.3020 to expedite the release process and reduce unnecessary burdens on the Importers of Record for the loads. Read the CSMS Here. FDA Launching New 24/7 Drug Entry Review Pilot The volume of imported FDA regulated commodities continues to increase, driven in part by e-Commerce, trade volume and supply chain complexities which require ORA to assess our approach to import entry review. The Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Regulatory Affairs’ Office of Enforcement and Import Operations (OEIO) is looking at several new ways to increase efficiency and effectiveness in our operational work. As part of this effort, OEIO has developed a 90-day pilot project to maximize our entry review staff at the periods of highest volume drug entries.   The Nationalized Drug Entry Review Pilot will run from March 13, 2022 through June 13, 2022. Go to the CSMS for more. Read the CSMS Here. AMS Updated United Nations Standard Products and Services Codes Available for Viewing and Downloading A revised list of United Nations Standard Products and Services (UNSPSC) codes is now available for viewing and downloading at https://go.usa.gov/xFmuU or by using the link on page 153 of the AMS CATAIR specification document. Read the CSMS Here. Update on AMS Electronic Filing of Spanish-Style Olives in containers over 8KG between February 28, 2022, and March 20, 2022, for Marketing Order (MO) Message Sets During the timeframe of March 8, 2022, and March 20, 2022, all Spanish-style olives in containers over 8KG, drained weight, will need to be filed under the MO1 message set and a copy of the Certificate of Analysis sent to the complianceinfo@usda.gov e-mail mailbox, so a manual release can be done by an Agricultural Marketing Service, Market Development Division specialist. This unique situation will be rectified on March 20, 2022. After March 20, 2022, filers will be able to utilize the MO6 message set for these specific types of olive entries as appropriate. Read the CSMS Here. Guidance: Drawback Internal Revenue Tax (IRT) Refund Calculations For imported merchandise where IRT was paid to CBP, any related IRT drawback claim calculations must reflect IRT refunds paid by the Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB). If an IRT refund was paid by TTB, the claimant may not seek a drawback refund from CBP for those same dollars: see CSMS #42827113 for additional information. Furthermore, a drawback claim for IRT should not be submitted to CBP if a prospective IRT refund request for those same dollars has been made with TTB. Claimants that have unliquidated IRT claims on file with CBP are encouraged to review those claims to ensure a duplicate refund has not been requested from both TTB and CBP per the guidance stated herein. For any questions regarding this update, please email OTDRAWBACK@cbp.dhs.gov Read the CSMS Here.

Check Out This Week’s Customs Bulletin! This update includes:U.S. Customs and Border Protection

1. Emergency Import Restrictions Imposed on Archaeological and Ethnological Material of Afghanistan

General Notices

1. Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) Program and CTPAT Trade Compliance Program
2. Application for Extension of Bond for Temporary Importation (Form 3173)
3. Application for Foreign-Trade Zone Admission and/or Status Designation, and Application for Foreign-Trade Zone Activity Permit
4. Arrival and Departure Record, Nonimmigrant Visa Waiver Arrival/Departure, Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA)
5. Electronic Visa Update System (EVUS)
6. Stakeholder Scheduling Application
7. Trusted Traveler Programs and U.S. APEC Business Travel Card
8. Petition for Remission or Mitigation of Forfeitures and Penalties Incurred (CBP Form 4609)

U.S. Court of International Trade

1. Taizhou United Imp. & Exp. Co. Ltd., Plaintiff, and Guangzhou Jangho Curtain Wall System Engineering Co., Ltd., Jangho Group Co., Ltd., Beijing Jiangheyuan Holding Co., Ltd., Beijing Jangho Curtain Wall System Engineering Co., Ltd., Jangho Curtain Wall Hong Kong Ltd., Shanghai Jangho Curtain Wall System Engineering Co., Ltd., Consolidated Plaintiffs, v. United States, Defendant, and Aluminum Extrusions Fair Trade Committee, Defendant-Intervenor
2. Amcor Flexibles Kreuzlingen AG, Plaintiff, v. United States, Defendant
3. Wheatland Tube Company, Plaintiff, v. United States, et al., Defendants