• In FY 2007 CBP increased foreign factory visits by 57%. CBP visited 671 foreign factories to monitor for illegal transshipment by sending textile production verification teams (TPVT) to confirm actual country of origin and compliance with trade preference programs. These teams examine production documents at foreign factories to ensure that potentially violative shipments are stopped before being shipped to the United States;

• CBP visited 168 foreign factories in 10 countries in FY 2007 to verify claims involving Free Trade Agreements like the Central America - Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement and other trade preference programs such as the African Growth and Opportunity Act;

• CBP auditors conducted 66 audits on textile importers and recommended additional revenue collections of $5.61 million in FY 2007 - an increase of 57% in audit activity;

• CBP officers at the ports of entry examined 13,327 shipments in FY 2007 and found more than 2,300 shipments where discrepancies were identified;

• Further, Import Specialists initiated 1,905 reviews of entry documents resulting in 959 detained shipments and 314 seized shipments worth $48.1 million for violations of China quota restraints; and

• CBP also initiated 68 actions totaling $50.1 million in penalties for commercial fraud.

Tags: Review

“We are pleased to announce the launch of this valuable tool that will help American manufacturers supply the men and women of our Armed Forces with the necessary textiles and apparel as they fight for freedom across the globe,” said Priest. “This new Web site will be a one-stop-shop for information to help members of industry navigate the complexities of the Berry Amendment.”
The Web site, which is limited to covered items of clothing, fabrics, fibers, yarns, and other made-up textile items, includes information on the following:

• Implementation of Berry Amendment;

• Application of the Berry Amendment;

• Exceptions to Berry Amendment domestic source requirements;

• Domestic non-availability determinations (DNADS, or waivers);

• Currently-approved DNADS;

• Penalties for noncompliance with the Berry Amendment; and

• A list of contacts and references.

Tags: Commerce