Protect Your Business from Costly Trade Compliance Mistakes

Enforcement is Intensifying

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has significantly ramped up enforcement of trade laws, with heightened focus on anti-dumping measures and anti-forced labor regulations. Even experienced importers face increased scrutiny, making expert guidance critical to avoid unintentional violations.

The Trade Landscape Has Never Been More Complex

Importing goods today requires navigating an intricate web of both regulations and additional shipment information that didn’t exist a decade ago:

Multiple Trade Agreements with Demanding Requirements
Free trade agreements offer valuable duty savings, but their complex rules of origin demand meticulous documentation. Incorrectly claiming preferential treatment can trigger audits and substantial penalties.

Overlapping Agency Regulations
Beyond customs, your products may need approval from the FDA, EPA, CPSC, or other Partner Government Agencies. Each has distinct requirements that must be satisfied before your goods can enter the U.S. market.

Classification and Valuation Challenges
Accurate classification under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule has always been complex—but recent developments have made it even more difficult. Many products now face multiple tariffs under a single line item, including IEEPA fentanyl sanctions, IEEPA reciprocal tariffs, Section 301 duties, Section 232 steel/aluminum/copper tariffs, and Section 232 vehicle tariffs. New country-specific agreements continue to emerge, adding layers of complexity.

Proper valuation extends beyond the purchase price. You must account for assists, royalties, and other contributions to transaction value that aren’t immediately obvious but are mandatory for compliance.

Professional compliance isn’t a luxury—it’s a business necessity that comes with real costs:

Licensed Customs Broker Services
Expert preparation and filing of customs entries, document management, and agency coordination tailored to your shipment’s complexity and value.

Advanced Technology and Automation
Specialized software that eliminates manual errors, performs pre-submission checks and audits, processes high volumes of transactions efficiently, and provides shipment tracking and visibility across the supply chain.

Required Fees and Bonds
Government-mandated fees including Merchandise Processing Fees (MPF) and Harbor Maintenance Fees (HMF), plus customs bonds that serve as financial guarantees for duty payments.

The question isn’t whether you can afford compliance services—it’s whether you can afford not to have them:

Substantial Financial Penalties And More
CBP imposes significant fines for errors in valuation, classification, origin marking, and failure to meet filing deadlines. A single mistake can cost far more than years of compliance services. The government is also bringing civil and criminal charges in the most egregious cases.

Supply Chain Disruptions
Errors trigger inspections and holds, resulting in expensive fees and delays that ripple through your entire operation.

Reputation Risk
For consumer-facing brands especially, a seized shipment or supply chain failure can damage customer trust and brand reputation in ways that far exceed the immediate financial impact.

Our compliance consulting team brings the specialized expertise, technology, and relationships with government agencies that modern importing demands. We help you avoid costly mistakes, minimize delays, and maintain the smooth flow of goods your business depends on. We know what questions to ask to ensure we’re proactively providing that information when making entry rather than reactively in response to a government inquiry or audit.

Ready to protect your supply chain? Contact us today to discuss how our compliance services can support your import operations.