The World Customs Organization (WCO) has proposed a set of Harmonized System (HS) tariff codes to tag and track import-export trade in hybrid, plug-in hybrid and all-electric passenger vehicles. The new codes are part of a package of amendments to the HS that is...
Chemical Price Storm Clouds on the Horizon?
by Brian J. McCormick, guest columnist The Chemcost search for the new cheap in US chemicals continues … even as chemical price storm clouds appear to be gathering. We’ve compared first-quarter with second-quarter best and average prices for the 10 chemical...
Is There ROI in C-TPAT for Members? Should There Be?
by Peter Quinter, guest columnist US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is holding its annual conference of the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) this week at the beautiful JW Marriott in San Antonio, Texas. You can click here for more information....
Game of Chicken: Who Stands to Lose from Russia Sanctions?
Russian consumers will likely top the list of losers under Moscow’s one-year ban on all meat, fish, poultry, dairy, fruit and vegetables imports from the US, the EU, Canada, Australia, and Norway, effective August 7, 2014. Or, as the New York Times put it, Russia...
Can Entrepreneur Barbie Rev up Sales for Mattel?
With 150 careers under her (very tiny) belt, Barbie is becoming an entrepreneur. Outfitted with a business-savvy wardrobe and accessories, Entrepreneur Barbie is making a bid for relevance in a market whose consumers keep getting older younger and abandoning their...
Miscellaneous Tariff Bill “Noncontroversial” No More
by Bill Armbruster, blog anchor By definition, the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill is “noncontroversial.” Once enacted, the MTB suspends import duties for two to three years on a mixed bag of chemicals and components that aren’t made in the USA but are inputs for US...
Pricey Shoes Nail Italy’s Share of US Footwear Imports
Italy’s standing among the top-ranked countries of origin for US footwear imports rests on pricier, higher-end brand products, Datamyne’s bill-of-lading data shows. Almost all footwear bought by US consumers is imported, with China far and away the leading source –...
US Footwear Imports Step up; Vietnam, Indonesia Step Forward
After stumbling earlier this year, US footwear imports stepped up in May, continuing a positive growth that began in April, the trade data shows. While China remains the leading country of origin, it continues to cede share to Vietnam as shoemaking shifts to...
Not Just for Bastille Day: US Toasts French Wine & Spirits
Whether it’s a champagne toast to Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité on La Fête du 14-Juillet, or an aperitif before, a bottle of wine during, or a brandy after dinner, Americans like to fill their glasses with French imports. Indeed, France is the leading source for US...
Oil Heats up Colombia-India Trade Relationship
As the US has scaled back its oil imports, Colombia has scrambled to sell its crude to markets in Asia and Europe. One top customer is India, which edged out China to became Colombia’s second-ranked export market by value in January and March of this year … and...