In an article for Law360, I examined recent updates related to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA). The UFLPA bans U.S. companies from importing “goods, wares, articles or merchandise” that were produced using forced labor.Continue Reading Effects of UFLPA on U.S. Importers
Import (Customs)
Tennessee Company Skirts Customs Obligations, Pays $500,000 FCA Penalty
This Post at a Glance:
- Company made false statements related to import duty charges
- Investigation initiated by whistleblower complaint from company’s competitor
- Trump Administration likely to impose more anti-dumping duties
On February 6, 2018, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that Home Furnishings Resource Group Inc. (HFRG), of Hermitage, Tennessee, agreed to a $500,000 settlement to resolve allegations that the company violated the False Claims Act (FCA). The DOJ contended that HFRG made false statements on customs declarations to avoid paying anti-dumping duties on wooden bedroom furniture that HFRG imported from China between 2009 and 2014.
Continue Reading Tennessee Company Skirts Customs Obligations, Pays $500,000 FCA Penalty
Happy New Year: OFAC Expands Exports of Medical Devices to Iran
Effective December 23, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) amended the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR) to expand the scope of medical devices that can be exported to Iran.
Now, unless specifically excluded by ITSR section 530(a)(3)(ii)-(iv), an item that qualifies as a “device” under section 201 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. § 321) and is designated EAR99 (or would be if it were located in the United States) can be exported or re-exported to Iran without specific authorization from OFAC. (Previous restrictions on payment terms and shipping dates remain in effect.)Continue Reading Happy New Year: OFAC Expands Exports of Medical Devices to Iran