Complying with manifest enforcement and Section 232 updates
North America
Section 232 country of melt and pour requirements
Effective November 21, 2024, importers are required to report to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) the country of melt and pour for certain imported articles from all countries and for imported derivative steel articles that are products of Mexico. This is regardless of whether Section 232 duty treatment, quota treatment, or exception treatment applies.
Updates to forced labor web pages announced
CBP has announced their forced labor web pages have a new look and streamlined navigation. The updates include a new enforcement page that provides statistics, dashboards, and information related to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), withhold release orders (WROs) and findings, and Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).
Manifest enforcement of vague merchandise descriptions
CBP implemented a comprehensive messaging system that will reject Air Cargo Advance Screening (ACAS) filings if the manifest description is vague by noon EST on November 12, 2024.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) organic filing requirement updates
AMS is removing the AM7 flag from roughly 1,700 tariff classifications in Chapters 53 through 94. This flag indicates an organics certification “may be required” when importing into the United States. For these affected classifications—not directly considered organic food, feed, or textile products—importers will no longer need to review or ask their customs brokers to make a disclaim statement, as they will no longer flag.
Mexico's Updated Steps for Annex 24, Section C Compliance
Mexico´s Servicio de Administracion Tributaria (SAT) issued updated guidance for compliance with Section C of Annex 24 of the Reglas Generales de Comercio Exterior (RGCE). Certified IMMEX companies must complete requirements by November 15 to ensure transparency and control over inventory systems for temporarily imported goods. Key steps include notifying the General Administration of Foreign Trade Audit via written notice in CDMX (not through VUCEM), listing compliance software, providing SAT access credentials, confirming compliance with Article 59, and offering tech support contacts.
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