customs and international trade law, page fura

Customs & International Trade Law

The laws and regulations governing international trade and trade policy have traditionally acted as both a carrot and a stick in shaping and directing the course of global economic growth and prosperity.

At Pageā€¢Fura, P.C., we build upon that legacy by providing companies of all sizes with business-practical representation on all aspects of Customs & International Trade Law. Whether your company is a first-time importer or a global actor on the international trading stage, our firm is well-equipped to address your trade compliance needs.

Our International Trade Law practice focuses on:


Compliance Reviews & Assessments
Read More >

Reasonable Care & Informed Compliance are the mantras of an effective compliance program. We have conducted scores of internal compliance reviews as well as successfully represented numerous companies before U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) in its Compliance/Focused Assessment Programs.
> Close

Manuals, Policies & Procedures
Read More >

CBP's criteria for validating the existence of a strong system of internal controls lies with the development and implementation of written manuals, policies and procedures reflective of a company's import and operational practices. We work with companies across a wide range of industries in the preparation of comprehensive, tailored documentation designed to meet CBP's exacting requirements.
> Close

Customs Valuation
Read More >

At the foundation of a successful compliance program is a robust system designed to ensure adherence to CBP appraisement requirements while also satisfying the more-exacting transfer pricing requirements of international tax regimes. We help develop and validate global transfer pricing strategies before U.S. and foreign customs/tax authorities that comport not only with both CBP and WTO-based valuation requirements, but also meet the complexities of international taxation. We also support our clients on such discrete valuation issues as the proper method of appraisement, related party transactions, the recognition and reporting of assists, the dutiability of royalties/proceeds of resale, the structuring of buying/selling agencies and other additions/considerations to the price paid or payable.
> Close

Tariff Classification
Read More >

If customs valuation lies at the foundation of a successful compliance program, then an innate familiarity with the subtleties of tariff classification is the pillar on which trade compliance rests. Whether for a single product or on a more-comprehensive basis, we represent companies in the evaluation and tariff engineering of both current and next generation products to ensure that the appropriate classifications and governing rates of duty are assessed for entry declaration and revenue calculation purposes.
> Close

Free Trade Agreements/Preference
Read More >

The recent worldwide proliferation of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and other tariff preference programs has dramatically increased both the opportunities and risks associated with global sourcing. We work with companies in evaluating both current and prospective sourcing patterns to ensure that the use of these duty-savings mechanisms is maximized through the development and maintenance of a comprehensive supplier solicitation, product qualification and certification/record retention program.
> Close

Country of Origin & Marking
Read More >

Misidentification of the country of origin of imported merchandise can not only lead to the imposition of marking duties and/or the seizure of goods, but also result in costly and difficult to comply with demands for redelivery to CBP custody. The requirements for identifying origin on imported goods can be complex, particularly where U.S. processing and "Made in USA" labeling is concerned. We counsel clients from the sourcing stage through the point of import to customer delivery to ensure that origin is properly identified for CBP purposes.
> Close

Foreign-Trade Zones
Read More >

Recent liberalizations in the Foreign-Trade Zone (FTZ) program administered by the U.S. government have expanded the benefits to be realized from operating in a zone environment. Whether engaged in manufacturing or distribution, we support clients in their FTZ initiatives by performing feasibility analyses of their operations and representing them before the Foreign-Trade Zones Board and CBP in both the zone application/activation process and on-going issues of compliance.
> Close

Other Duty Alternatives
Read More >

Duty Drawback, Temporary Importation Bonds and Bonded Warehouses all present additional opportunities to reduce the cost of importing merchandise into the United States. We assist our clients in evaluating whether these alternatives are appropriate for their import/export activities and in developing procedures to ensure adherence to all legal and regulatory requirements.
> Close

Participating Government Agency
Read More >

CBP is renowned for its administration of not only its own laws, but also the laws of approximately 40 other Participating Government Agencies (PGAs). We provide counsel to clients on the implications the laws of such agencies as the Environmental Protection Agency, the Food & Drug Administration, the Consumer Products Safety Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Federal Communications Commission have on those companies' imports and advocate for them in instances where violations are alleged.
> Close

Administrative Procedures
Read More >

An importer's principal means for either securing or challenging CBP's position on the appropriateness of the information declared at the time of entry is through the use of such administrative mechanisms as ruling requests, requests for internal advice or administrative protests. We represent companies in the preparation, filing and marshalling of these submissions, as well as in responding to any request for information or notice of action which CBP itself may generate.
> Close

Prior Disclosures & Enforcement
Read More >

Despite their best efforts, companies occasionally find that the information provided to CBP at the time of entry may not have been accurate. In those instances, we counsel clients on the benefits to be realized from the submission of prior disclosures and work with those companies to assess the underlying facts and prepare the necessary filings. We also represent companies before CBP's Fines, Penalties & Forfeitures Office as well as U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) on any penalty or investigative action that might be commenced.
> Close

Trade Remedies & Relief
Read More >

Although not as prevalently used today as historically, anti-dumping duties, countervailing duties and such other trade remedies/relief as Section 201 and Section 301 remain valuable tools in both the private sector's and the U.S. Government's arsenal to combat perceived instances of unfair trade. We support our clients in such actions to ensure that a level playing field is maintained.
> Close

Legislative Policy
Read More >

Most issues resolve themselves through administrative means. In some instances, however, the quickest and most responsive method is by securing change in the laws and regulations governing international trade through the legislative process. We advocate for such change before both Congress and federal agencies to the ultimate benefit and satisfaction of our clients.
> Close

Trade Litigation
Read More >

While we pride ourselves on our ability to resolve most issues administratively, in some instances, judicial relief presents the only viable avenue for securing an outcome most-beneficial to our clients. Our firm has substantial experience advocating for our clients before the U.S. Court of International Trade and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and in managing the administrative remedies that must be exhausted prior to the initiation of litigation.
> Close