Additional data on China-origin goods to be required by US CBP

Effective immediately, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will require the declaration of a valid postal code on all China-origin goods. The postal code forms part of the amended Manufacturer Identification Number data element and until now has not been a mandatory requirement for customs entries.

The implementation of the new data element is set to provide notification to importers of the region that their goods have been produced and will receive notice if an invalid Chinese postal code is provided, or if a postal code linked to the Uyghur region has been provided.

Goods produced in the XUAR (Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region) are subject to the Uyghur Forced Labour Prevention Act, which applies the automatic assumption that goods made in the region were done so using forced labor. All goods imported into the USA from the Uyghur region will be subject to detention upon arrival.

How can businesses prepare?

When purchasing from Chinese manufacturers or businesses, importers should verify that all commercial documents include a valid Chinese postal code against the address of any suppliers used.

What happens if imports are detained?

If goods are detained under the new regulations, to have them released businesses must provide proof that their goods were not made with any forced labor.

Importers may request an exception to the rebuttable presumption from CBP during detention, after an exclusion, or during the seizure process as described in the UFLPA Operational Guidance for Importers.

All costs incurred as a result of detainment, detention or customs hold will be for the account of the importer.

Source: CargoTrans