January 2014

Do you know if your customs compliance program is effective?  Do you know if your export controls and economic sanctions internal controls are working properly? Do you have any internal controls to detect payments of bribes to foreign public officials or the recording of such improper payments in your books and records?

If the answer

Normally, if an importer fails to declare goods or undervalues the goods, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) may seize goods as forefeit and/or ascertain an amount as a penalty to get the goods back.  An ascertained forfeiture occurs when the goods cannot actually be seized (because the good cannot be located or seizing the

Based on my experience, most Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act (Canada’s version of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act) start with an after hours telephone call.  You can usually sense the panic through the telephone line. The caller has learned that the company (which has international activities) is under investigation for bribing a foreign

in November 2013, Canada’s Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) announced consultations concerning the implementation user fees in connection with the Controlled Goods Program (CGP). The Controlled Goods Program is administered by the Controlled Goods Directorate of PWGSC (CGD). The CGD is responsible for administering Canada’s domestic industrial security program relating to the possession

On October 23, 2013, Lee Berthiaume reported in the Ottawa citizens that the Canadian “Government to remove export controls on hundreds of goods“. According to Mr. Berthiaume, the government of Canada is reviewing the Export Control List with the goal to removing hundreds Canadian-made military items.  The objective of this exercise is to

As 2014 begins, we want importers in to Canada to succeed in their cross-border trade activities.  Here is an alphabetical guide to some the relevant Canadian customs/border issues.

A =  Ascertained Forfeitures – The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) will issue an assessment based on best information available if they do not have the item. 

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has designed the E311 form (Declaration Card) so that families of 1-4 individuals can complete a single declaration card. Canadian citizens and residents must complete a Declaration Card when returning to Canada by air.  At land border crossings, the CBSA prefers each NEXUS traveler complete a Traveller Declaration Card

On January 1, 2014, the Boston Globe reported in an article entitled “Virtuoso’s flutes destroyed by US Customs” that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (USCBP) opened Boujemaa Razgui’s luggage and destroyed his flutes. Mr. Razgui is a Canadian citizen and is a flute virtuoso who performs regularly with The Boston Camerata. At New

It is January 1, 2014 and time for Cyndee’s top 10 predictions for 2014. There will be a number of border issues for Canadians and persons doing business with Canadians.

1. The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) will confiscate and cancel an increasing number of NEXUS passes.  In 2013, we saw many NEXUS pass holders