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Summer is coming to an end, and we’ve been as busy as ever on all sides of our diverse portfolio. On the forced labor front, we had an exciting victory: CBP lifted its Withhold Release Order on seafood from the Taiwanese vessel Yu Long No. 2 following significant improvements in labor conditions aboard the vessel. This is ultimately the reason for our forced labor enforcement – to better the lives of workers around the world by preventing forced labor from happening in the first place.
In August, we also made strides toward innovation in the trade space, notably announcing our 2024-2025 plan to test and adopt global interoperability standards. The adoption of global interoperability standards will help streamline supply chain operations, support legitimate business activities, and safeguard U.S. consumers from illicit trade – all important parts of our trade mission.
Finally, as we wrap up back-to-school season, I’m proud of our ongoing “Shop Smart” partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. This initiative promotes public awareness of counterfeit goods that have flooded the market by sharing tips that empower consumers to make smart shopping choices.
Read more about these and other recent activities and initiatives below!
~ Executive Assistant Commissioner AnnMarie R. Highsmith
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Contents
- EAC's Message
- Office of Trade Activity
- CBP modifies Withhold Release Order on Yu Long No.2 vessel
- CBP announces 2024-2025 global interoperability testing plan
- Outreach
- CBP and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce continue anti-counterfeit partnership with annual Shop Smart campaign
- CBP launches new counterfeit pharmaceuticals awareness campaign
- (a)DEAC Brophy participates in Women in Law Federal Enforcement flash mentoring session
- News You Can Use
- As the school year starts, Chicago CBP intercepts more fake IDs
- Acting Commissioner Troy A. Miller releases statement on National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day
- Trade Statistics
- Monthly Trade Statistics
Office of Trade Activity
CBP modifies Withhold Release Order on Yu Long No.2 vessel
On August 14, CBP modified its Withhold Release Order (WRO) on seafood from the Taiwanese vessel Yu Long No. 2, originally imposed in May 2020 due to forced labor concerns. This decision follows significant remediation efforts and improvements in labor conditions aboard the vessel, ensuring compliance with U.S. law.
The modification is the latest success in CBP’s efforts to combat forced labor, which have improved living and working conditions for tens of thousands of workers worldwide. The agency remains committed to its mission of eradicating forced labor from supply chains and will continue its enforcement efforts to protect workers globally.
Read more in the modification press release.
CBP announces 2024-2025 global interoperability testing plan
On August 19, CBP announced plans to test and adopt global interoperability standards throughout 2024-2025. These standards are aimed at improving software connectivity and data exchange between systems, which would eliminate data silos within the global supply chain. As part of the testing effort starting in fall 2024, CBP will work with the Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency as well as two data standards agencies to streamline supply chain operations, support legitimate business activities, and safeguard U.S. consumers from illicit trade. Then, in 2025, CBP will test these standards with foreign customs authorities to confirm the agency can issue and exchange information on a global scale. This effort reflects CBP's ongoing commitment to fostering a transparent and integrated supply chain worldwide.
For more details, see the interoperability press release.
Outreach
CBP and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce continue anti-counterfeit partnership with annual Shop Smart campaign
On August 15, CBP and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (Chamber) launched the annual Shop Smart campaign, a joint effort during back-to-school season to inform the public about the dangers of counterfeit products. As part of the effort, CBP Acting Deputy Executive Assistant Commissioner (A(DEAC)) Rose M. Brophy and Tom Quaadman, Executive Vice President at the Chamber, shared their experiences with preventing counterfeits in a blog post, describing the dangerous fake products pose and offering tips for consumers to shop smart and keep their families safe.
Read their tips in the Chamber's blog or learn more in the Shop Smart press release
CBP launches new counterfeit pharmaceuticals awareness campaign
Throughout September, CBP will launch a public awareness campaign to spread knowledge of the dangers of counterfeit pharmaceuticals and to share information on how consumers can avoid them. The counterfeit pharmaceuticals awareness campaign will serve to complement the work CBP is already doing to combat counterfeits, including the The Truth Behind Counterfeits campaign and intellectual property roadshows across the country. The campaign will use social media, website updates, videos, and public service announcements to educate the public on the issue and direct consumers to the resources they can use to protect themselves and their families from counterfeit pharmaceuticals.
(A)DEAC Brophy participates in Women in Law Federal Enforcement flash mentoring session
On August 8, CBP’s (A)DEAC Brophy participated in the Flash Mentoring: Founders Edition session at the Women in Federal Law Enforcement (WIFLE) Annual Leadership Training in Alexandria, VA. WIFLE promotes gender equity through leadership education, research, and networking opportunities in partnership with law enforcement agencies such as CBP. During her appearance, (A)DEAC Brophy spoke to women in various law enforcement positions and backgrounds about her career experiences and provided advice on the challenges of balancing work and life.
News You Can Use
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As the school year starts, Chicago CBP intercepts more fake IDs
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Acting Commissioner Troy A. Miller releases statement on National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day
Trade Statistics
Month Trade Statistics
In July 2024, CBP processed more than 2.9 million entry summaries valued at over $207.3 billion, identifying estimated duties of nearly $7.8 billion to be collected by the U.S. government. Trade via the ocean environment accounted for 42.57 percent of the total import value, followed by air, truck, and rail. CBP identified 408 entries valued at more than $70 million for further examination based on the suspected use of forced labor, and which may be subject to a Withhold Release Order, Forced Labor Finding, or the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act’s rebuttable presumption prohibiting importation into the United States.
CBP seized 2,230 shipments that contained counterfeit goods valued at more than $1.2 billion. CBP also completed 34 audits that identified $355.6 million in duties and fees owed to the U.S. government for goods that had been improperly declared.