In the past, goods originating in the United States which were exported and then returned have been allowed to enter the U.S. without payment of duties under certain circumstances. Under the Trade Facilitation and Enforcement Act of 2015 (TFTEA) and the new US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), there have been changes to the regulatory and documentary requirements to take advantage of these benefits. The burden of proof remains on the importer, and as such, the proof is in the proverbial pudding.

When I’m preparing to deliver a Risk Assessment Report, the first question clients often ask is, “What’s our compliance score?” While the intention is good, we are asking the wrong question. Numbers may not lie, but they don’t tell the whole truth, particularly in compliance – and in the gap is where good companies get into trouble.

Have you been shipping products blindly? Shipping without knowing how Incoterms affect your freight creates a risk that could cost you anywhere from a few thousand dollars to completely bankrupting your business.