Tim Brightbill Discusses CPB’s Development of New System to Challenge Duty Evasion 

July 13, 2016

Timothy C. Brightbill, a partner in Wiley Rein’s International Trade Practice, was quoted in a July 11 Law360 article discussing U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) development of regulations that will establish a new system for challenging the evasion by importers of remedial tariffs.

The regulations, due next month, will implement part of the ENFORCE Act, a trade enforcement bill that was signed into law by President Obama in February. But the legislation was vague on the extent to which the new process would allow for a more open dialogue between interested parties and the CBP, according to the article.

“The things … our clients are looking for are transparency and a partnership between CBP, the trade community, and U.S. industries,” Mr. Brightbill told Law360. “That means having a process that allows us as domestic producers to have real input throughout and to give notice of what’s happening as an evasion allegation moves through the process.”

The article noted that once evasion allegations are filed with CPB, the investigation is largely carried out behind closed doors, which has frustrated the trade community for years.

To read the complete article, click here (subscription required).