While the Office of the US Trade Representative continues its ongoing review of the newly reauthorized Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), President Obama has issued a proclamation with the first round of revisions. Countries Removed: Seychelles, Uruguay and Venezuela have become high-income countries as defined by the official statistics of the World Bank and will […]

The President’s order “Streamlining the Export/Import Process for America’s Businesses”, dictates an electronic information exchange capability, or “single window” through which businesses will transmit data required for the importation or exportation of cargo – the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE). The Executive Order requirements by December 31, 2016:        Customs and Border Protection (CBP) […]

Tianjin, China’s sixth largest container port, suffered a deadly explosion Wednesday, August 12, 2015 at 11:20 p.m.  The blast, which killed at least 114 people according to Chinese officials, originated from a Tianjin Dongjiang Port Rui Hai International Logistics Company dangerous goods warehouse.  The Company’s senior executives have been taken into detention pending an investigation. […]

The following Shapiro offices will be closing early Wednesday, August 12, 2015 in celebration of our 100th Anniversary:   Baltimore, MD – closed at 4:00PM EST Philadelphia, PA – closed at 4:00PM EST Sterling, VA (Dulles) – closed at 4:00PM EST   Shapiro’s New York, Charleston, and Atlanta offices will remain open for regular hours. […]

In a somewhat surprising move, China’s Ministry of Commerce has rejected the proposed P3 Vessel-Sharing Agreement (VSA), an alliance that suggested major changes to the world’s shipping industry.  Comprised of 3 of the world’s top carriers (Maersk, MSC, and CMA CGM), the P3 would have accounted for approximately 42-47% of the Asia-Europe capacity, at least […]

US Customs and Border Protection has just announced that, effective July 29, 2015, filers again are entitled to file GSP- eligible entry summaries without the payment of estimated duties. Please be aware that the GSP reauthorization provides retroactive benefits only to goods from a country that is a beneficiary of the GSP program as of […]

Shapiro is excited to announce that our New York office has relocated! Take note, the only change has been to the office’s suite number. Our new address: 1 Cross Island Plaza 133-33 Brookville Blvd. Suite 101 Rosedale, NY 11422 Our phone and fax numbers will remain the same.  

As you are aware, the president recently signed off on the Trade Preferences Extension Act which retroactively renews GSP. At this point and time, all that has changed is learning that this legislation both extends GSP and retroactively applies benefits to multiple commodities through the end of 2017. Instructions regarding refunds and the process to […]

On June 29, 2015, President Obama signed the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015, reinstating the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP). The newly signed legislation will extend the GSP, retroactively applying benefits to eligible commodities, through December 31, 2017. The reinstatement of the GSP will entitle shippers from nearly 120 designated GSP countries to refunds […]

GSP renewal legislation has finally passed in both the House and the Senate. The legislation will now go to the President for his signature. The proposed legislation will reinstate the General System of Preference (GSP), retroactively applying benefits to eligible commodities; the program would be effective until December 31, 2017. The Coalition for GSP released […]

Just when all eyes are on West Coast port labor, the Charleston International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) filed paperwork for the right to strike. While there has yet to be any work stoppage or noticeable slow-downs, the local ILA in Charleston now has the legal right to strike. There are three main aspects to the conflict: […]

On June 11, the House of Representatives passed the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015 bill moving it along to the Senate for Congressional approval. If the bill receives senatorial support, the final step would be for President Obama to sign the legislation into law. The proposed legislation would reinstate the General Systemof Preference (GSP), retroactively […]

Shapiro is excited to announce that our Baltimore Headquarters office will be relocating to the Locust Point neighborhood in Baltimore, on Friday, June 12, 2015. The office will remain open for standard business hours on June 12th and will close promptly at 5:00 p.m. EST. Phone calls and emails will be monitored for any urgent inquiries. […]

Shapiro is excited to announce that our Dulles office will be relocating to Sterling, VA, on Friday, January 9, 2015. The office will close at noon on January 9thfor the move. Phones and emails will be monitored for any urgent requests. Please note our new address below: Broad Run Professional Building 22375 Broderick Suite 230 Sterling, VA 20166 […]

International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) have ratified the five-year contract agreement with the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA).  The contract was confirmed on Friday, May 22, 2015, more than a year since negotiations began, and will be retroactive to the previous contract’s July 1, 2014 expiration, remaining valid through July 1, 2019. The agreement was […]

Starting July 9, 2013, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) instituted a policy that every liquidated damages enforcement action for Importer Security Filings (ISF) would be reviewed by CBP headquarters for a period of at least one year. On May 13, 2014, Customs reset the twelve month review period. The current enforcement review period will […]

Legislation to renew GSP was introduced on April 16th by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR), and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Ranking Member Sander Levin (D-MI). The legislation would renew GSP through December 31, 2017, and also provide for refunds on GSP […]

The Houston shipping channel remains partially closed after a chemical tanker, the Carla Maersk, collided with a bulk carrier, the Condi Peridot, at 12:41 p.m. Monday, March 9th.  The U.S. Coast Guard began clean-up of the methyl tetr-butyl ether (MTBE) spill creating a 4-8 mile safety zone.  MTBE, a gasoline additive, is highly flammable and dangerous if inhaled in high […]

As reported in the Wall Street Journal and Reuters, protests against a 15-centavo-per-liter ($0.20/gallon) fuel tax hike in Brazil have entered their seventh day and are spreading across the country. What originally started as an isolated protest in Mato Grosso, has quickly spread to six other states throughout Brazil.  Truckers are using their vehicles to block […]

On February 20, 2015, negotiators for the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) announced a tentative five-year coastwide contract agreement.  Details of the contract are not yet available since membership of both groups must vote to ratify the agreement; a process that could take several weeks.  In the meantime, […]