Dear Valued Unique
Customer,
The below announcement is very important
with regard to marking of Solid Wood Packaging Materials. If any
questions, please do not hesitate to contact Eric Moeller in our Atlanta
office.
Thank you for your support of Unique
Logistics International (ATL).
David Hickmott
Executive Vice President
Office: 404-767-0500 ext
306
Cell#678-478-6604
E-Mail: dhickmott@uli-atl.com
Website: www.uli-atl.com
From: Eric
Moeller
Sent: Monday, March
12, 2007 10:30 AM
To:
atestaff
Cc: David Hickmott;
Ron Chung; Bob Shaver
Subject:
SWPM- Phase 3
This is the final phase of the 2
year implementation period and most severe ramifications are now
in effect for SWPM that is not properly marked with the approved IPPC logo on
the wood packaging material. Im sure most of you remember the Reeves Floral
order that had to be re-exported approx a year ago....now they all will be
subject to possible re-export along with possible fines from FP&F,
thanks,
CBP to Issue
Liquidated Damages
Claims/Penalties
for Wood Packaging Material
Violations
U.S. Customs and Border
Protection (CBP) has issued a notice stating that effective March 9, 2007, it
may issue claims for liquidated damages and/or penalties against importers,
carriers or bonded custodians for importing wood packaging material (WPM) in
violation of the regulations.
Damages/penalties
to be based on value of merchandise plus WPM. CBP states
that liquidated damages result from a breach of obligation under bond. When
violations occur, liquidated damages and/or penalties will be assessed based on
the value of the merchandise, which is considered the value of the WPM plus the
value of the commodity or commodities identified for importation on the entry
documentation.
According to CBP, a liquidated damages claim
may be issued at three times the entered value of the merchandise but not
greater than the bond amount.
(CBP states that the WPM regulations have
been in full enforcement since July 5, 2006 and were implemented in a
three-phase approach to ensure that the trade was fully informed. The
regulations require all WPM entering or transiting through the U.S. be properly
marked to indicate that it has been either heat treated or treated with methyl
bromide in accordance with the International Standards for Phytosanitary
Measures: Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packaging Material in International
Trade (ISPM 15), and be free of timber pests.
Immediate exportation is required of any
noncompliant WPM. This includes WPM that is unmarked, inappropriately marked, or
marked but found infested with a live wood-boring pest of the families Cerambycidae, Buprestidae, Siricidae, Cossidae,
Curculionidae, Platypodidae, Sesiidae and Scolytidae. All costs associated with the
handling of violative WPM, including the cost of exportation, are the
responsibility of the violator.)
(See ITT’s Online
Archives or 07/14/06 news, (Ref: 06071410),
for BP summary of CBP’s updated operating procedures for full enforcement of WPM
regulation.)
CBP WPM Penalty notice
(dated 03/08/07) available at http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/03082007_5.xml
BP
Note
In September 2006, CBP had stated at a NCBFAA Conference
that about 35 shipments a day were being refused due to issues regarding WPM,
with Turkey and Mexico the worst offenders. Other problems had occurred when the
broker or importer was not timely in moving problem merchandise or following up
with requirements or procedures.
At that time, CBP had stated that it was
thinking of setting penalties to encourage better cooperation (USDA had been
taking care of any problems and billing the company(s), but CBP wasn’t sure that
this was working). (See ITT’s Online
Archives or 09/25/06 news, (Ref: 06092505),
for BP summary of NCBFAA Conference, including CBP comments on
WPM.)
|
Published in ITT on March 12,
2007 |
[Ref:
07031207] |
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