TRG Trade Spotlight l January l NAFTA Do Your Goods Qualify?

NAFTA – Do my goods qualify and how do I claim a refund?North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) established a free-trade zone in North America, taking effect in 1994 by Canada, Mexico, and the United States. NAFTA eliminates tariffs on the majority of goods produced by these participating nations. It is an investment to the movement of goods and services among the three countries. Merely purchasing a product in a NAFTA country does NOT automatically make it NAFTA-eligible. Here are a few general “rules of thumb” for determining if you should claim NAFTA or not to receive a refund.not claim NAFTA if… You do not know the background of the product. Such as: who produced it, where it was grown or was taken from the ground, where the components or ingredients were manufactured or grown. The good was produced overseas and simply passed through North America. Your good qualified for NAFTA but was sent overseas temporarily and left Customs control or something was done to the product other than unloading, reloading or preservation. These are general rules; if you are unsure of your NAFTA eligibility, ask!NAFTA CertificatesIn order to present a claim for reimbursement on goods within the scope of NAFTA, the importer must submit a NAFTA Certificate of Origin. CBP’s website states, “The Certificate of Origin must be completed by the exporter. A producer or manufacturer may also complete a certificate of origin in a NAFTA territory to be used as a basis for an Exporter’s Certificate of Origin. To make a claim for NAFTA preference, the importer must possess a certificate of origin at the time the claim is made.” If the NAFTA Certificate of Origin is not ready at time of export, you have one year from the date of importation to claim a refund.For Further Information visit this trilateral web site (Canada/Mexico/U.S.): www.customs.gov/nafta/nafta_new.htm

IE Canada to Host Western Conference in Feb

Do you deal with import/export regulations in Canada? If so, IE Canada may be a great association for your company to become a member of. This February, the group is hosting a trade conference in Calgary.
Direct from their brochure...
"Participants will have the opportunity to share knowledge and network with leaders in international trade and customs. Participants will hear the latest policy developments in customs and trade programs, such as NAFTA and ACI eManifest, take part in a hands-on workshop on tariff classification and NAFTA rules of origin, and hear from industry experts who are setting the benchmarks for trade compliance standards. Participants will also hear the latest trends in product sourcing and practical tips for establishing customs policies and preparing for a customs audit."

TRG Will be Attending MSU Spring Career Fair

Montana State University, Bozeman hosts multiple career fairs for undergraduate students throughout the course of the academic year. This February, the 5th Annual “Almost” Spring Job and Internship Fair will be held in the Strand Union Building (SUB) Ballrooms on MSU’s campus. TRG, local business offering solutions to importers, will attend the event and meet with prospective interns to fulfill open part time sales positions. www.montana.edu

Local companies attending the career fair include, but are not limited to; Kraft Foods, Bresnan Communications, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, Halliburton, Sherwin-Williams. MSU’s esteemed Engineering program has historically drawn a large number of firms from outside of Montana. TRG just recently moved its company headquarters to Bozeman, Montana after 18 years in Illinois. Operating out of the headquarters include the departments of TRG Bond, TRG Marine and TRG Direct. www.trgdirect.com

Along with the MSU Career fair, TRG has participated in other MSU events including the College of Business’ Management 475 class. TRG was able to work with business students throughout the course of a semester in development of a marketing plan. “Many of TRG’s employees are graduates of or currently enrolled at MSU. We are committed to giving back to the University by providing students with opportunities to develop a business acumen, ” stated Laura Michel, VP Operations. “We enjoy this youthful community and our ability to invest in its growth.

TRG’s website includes information on positions available within the firm. The company is looking to educate/train those with professional communication, influence/persuasion, attention to detail and computer experience. The job description in which the company is looking to fill at the MSU Career Fair will assist the Sales department with all aspects of Customs bond processing and customer service, and understanding of a sales position with the possibility of moving to a sales representative. www.trgbond.com

What is a "multi-year" continuous Customs bond?

"My broker told me there are no multiple year continuous Customs bonds".
US Customs bonds are continuous, meaning once they are on file with Customs, they remain active until terminated in writing. TRG offers a 1,2 or 3 year term for the bonds, we are referring to billing terms. TRG has negotiated discounted premium rates for importers that pay for 2 or 3 years at one time. At the end of the chosen term, TRG contacts your company to see if you wish to continue the previous term or select a different payment term.

Multi-year pricing on the Customs bond offers companies our best pricing with our best rates for 3 years. Also note, that TRG has not increased pricing on the $50,000 Customs import bond since 1991!

Airport Security Bonds

TRG offers all types of Customs bonds. The most common type of Customs bond is the import bond and is the bond most companies are familiar with. Over the past few months, TRG has begun to see a rise in the applications of Airport Security Bons (ASB). These are also a type of Customs bond, however US Customs is only now just regulating the requirement with more force.

An Airport Security Bond (ASB) is a US Customs bond needed for out sourced service companies to enter secured areas of airports (like cleaning services not employed by the airlines to clean planes or maintenance individuals not employed by the airlines to fix something).

Bond Amount Calculation for Airport Security Bonds: The Customs bond amount is determined by the Airport the company is operating in.

To apply for the ASB visit www.trgbond.com and click apply now!