Five Improvements in The July EICS Update | ARGO Customs

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What To Look Forward to In the First EICS Update

Earlier this year, the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) officially opened the Export-Import Control System (EICS), an ambitious project aimed at making customs control fully electronic.  Even in its first release, EICS has substantially improved and streamlined the process of having imports and exports approved, and there are ongoing plans to improve the system over the next few years.

The first major upgrade to EICS is due to drop in July, and it’s going to make the system even better.  Let’s take a look at the improvements.

Five Improvements in The July EICS Update

1 – A better look and user interface

The initial release of EICS was fairly bare-bones.  It was functional, but the user interface was not very streamlined.  This new update will substantially improve the interface, as well as bringing it up to Canadian governmental standards for accessibility.  This should make the EICS system even easier to use.

2 – User guides and tutorials

Along with improvements to the user experience, EICS will become easier to use thanks to a range of guides and tutorials showing users how to make use of the system. Every page will have tips on usage, and there will be full-on-demand walkthroughs of common activities.  This will make it far easier for newcomers to get up and running in the system.

3 – Improved authentication system

Another aspect of EICS receiving immediate attention is its authentication system.  This will be improved substantially to, again, bring it in line with legal standards for safety and security.  All users will get unique log-in credentials, and digital security will be tighter as well.

4 – Improved search capabilities

One issue with the first release of EICS is that its search capabilities were limited, and that was a problem when there are thousands of potential product classification codes available.  This new upgrade brings an improved search, with filtering options, so that users will be able to find the appropriate codes more quickly.

5 – Document downloading

Finally, users will have the option to download generated documents as PDF or CSV files and save them locally to their hard drive or to a cloud server.  So, they won’t have to rely on EICS system access for record-keeping.

ARGO Customs specializes in making Canadian imports and exports as simple as possible!  If you need help making the most of this new system, we can reduce your workload while ensuring your goods pass customs as quickly as possible.  Contact us to learn more!

China Under Investigation for Dumping Products in Canada

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July 20, 2021 – Toronto, ON – The customs experts at ARGO Customs want shippers to know that another investigation into potentially unethical Chinese trade practices is underway.  In June 2021, the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) announced that they were looking into whether container chassis from China were being illegally “dumped” on the market.

Dumping means selling products overseas for less than those products cost in their country of manufacture.  In some cases, the products may actually be subsidized by the government of that country, to encourage price undercutting.  This is widely seen as disruptive and anti-competitive.  Under the Special Import Measures Act (SIMA), the CBSA has the authority to levy fines and extra duties on products that are found to be in violation of international trade regulations.

The complaint was originally lodged by Max-Atlas Equipment International Inc, a Quebec-based container chassis manufacturer.  The accusations were corroborated by two other chassis manufacturers, Di Mond, and Innovative Trailer Design, both in Ontario.  All three companies allege they have suffered material injury through lost sales and market share, as well as secondary effects such as reduced capacity utilization.

The investigation will be carried out by the CBSA, along with the Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT).  The two will conduct their investigations separately, but concurrently.  The CBSA investigation will issue a decision on or before August 9, 2021.  The CITT’s investigation will be concluded by September 8, 2021.  At that time, if China is found to be in violation of international trade laws, fines or duties may be imposed to balance out the unfair pricing.

ARGO Customs will be following this issue closely.  Any shippers involved in the import or export of container chassis are advised to contact expert customs brokers for information on how to proceed.

About Argo Customs

Argo Customs is one of Canada’s leading customs brokers.  Their staff specializes in international trade regulations, along with helping shippers clear Canadian customs with a minimum of delay.  They proudly facilitate trade across the country.

For more information or press inquiries, please contact Argo Customs at 1-888-311-8303 or visit https://argocustoms.com/.

This Is What Importers Need to Know About CARM

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Years after its initial announcement, the CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management (CARM) project has gone live. This project, spearheaded by the Canadian Border Services Agency is a massive overhaul of Canadian importation procedures, with a focus on moving towards all-electronic processes.

The implementation of CARM will have significant impacts on Canadian importers and exporters. In this article, we will briefly describe the most important aspects of CARM today, as well as what is expected in the next major phase, next year.

What Does CARM do?

CARM is modernizing and updating how data is entered and processed within the CBSA. The ultimate goal is a fully paperless, entirely electronic process, with all data being given directly to the CBSA. This will bring numerous improvements, including:

  • Simplifying the importation process for importers
  • Creating a standards-based electronic interface with the CBSA
  • Delivering a self-service portal for importers to manage accounts, claims, corrections, and payments
  • Reducing import and export costs
  • Improving compliance with international trade rules
  • Tracking large-scale import/export trends in deeper detail

In short, once fully implemented CARM will be beneficial to everyone involved in Canadian imports and exports.

What’s in CARM Phase 1?

CARM is being implemented in multiple phases, with the first phase going live in May 2021.  There are three key things to know about this first phase:

  1. Importers will need to register within the CARM system and obtain a GC Key so they can access the system.  This will become mandatory as of May 2022.
  2. The online client portal will go live with basic functionality.
  3. Importers and exporters using brokers will need to register those brokers in the system as authorized proxies.

Importers are advised to create an account and register their customs brokers as soon as possible.

What’s in CARM Phase 2?

Phase 2 is currently scheduled to be implemented in May 2022, concurrently with CARM registrations becoming mandatory.  The current plans are for this phase to introduce:

  1. The requirement of importers to post a financial security bond, rather than brokers. The size of this bond will correlate to the size of their operation.
  2. Expansion of the online portal to include corrections, rulings, and adjustments.
  3. Replacing the B2 and B3 customs coding processes with unified Commercial Accounting Declarations (CADs), a single document containing all relevant information.

Contact ARGO Customs for More Information

CARM is bringing big changes to Canadian importing. If you have any questions or need assistance updating your processes, please contact ARGO Customs.

How SIMA Changes Regulations on Upholstered Goods from Asia

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June 1, 2021 – Toronto, ON – Canada recently invoked the Special Import Measures Act, or SIMA, to curb imports on products that are viewed as being “dumped” by companies in Asia. This will have a significant impact on the importation of upholstered goods in the foreseeable future.

The customs experts at ARGO Customs wants Canadian importers to be aware of how this will impact furniture imports.

On December 21, 2020, the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) responded to allegations that both China and Vietnam were “dumping” upholstered furniture. In this situation, “dumping” refers to selling exported goods in a foreign country for less money than those goods would cost in the country of origin. This form of dumping is seen as hostile and damaging to the importing market, by undercutting local producers.

As of May 5, 2021, the CBSA has released preliminary findings upholding the charges. Due to this, they have instituted significantly higher duties on a wide range of upholstered furniture items from China and Vietnam.  These items include virtually all upholstered seats – including seats that rock or swivel, using any form of upholstering, and seating any number of people.  There are a handful of exceptions:

Stationary seating upholstered with fabric, rather than leather

Seats without arms manufactured for dining room end-use.

Upholstered bar stools or other stools elevated higher than 24″

Seating specifically for outdoor use such as patio chairs

Bean bag seats

Folding or stackable chairs

Otherwise, all other upholstered seats are subject to the new duties.

As of May 5, the new duties are as follows:

Upholstered furniture from China is subject to a provisional 206.36% anti-dumping duty, as well as an 89.54% countervailing duty, for a total of 295.9% additional duties.

Upholstered furniture from Vietnam is subject to a provisional 89.77% anti-dumping duty, as well as an 11.73% countervailing duty, for a total of 101.5% additional duties.

Companies involved in the importation of furniture from Asia would be advised to see help from an established customs broker, to help them navigate these new rules.

About ARGO Customs

ARGO Customs are experts in Canadian imports and exports. Their dedicated trade specialists can help companies avoid unnecessary fees and bureaucratic problems while speeding up the delivery of goods.

For more information or press inquiries, please contact 1 (888) 311-8303 or visit https://argocustoms.com/.

Importing Food into Canada with a Safe Food for Canadians Licence

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[March 9, 2021 – Toronto, CA] – Recently, Canada’s importing and exporting oversight agencies announced that as of March 15, 2021, all food import transactions will be rejected unless they have a valid Safe Food for Canadians (SFC) licence that can be entered into their Integrated Import Declaration (IID).

If a transaction is stopped or rejected, the food importer may experience delays and have all of their shipment held at the border until the proper SFC licensing issues are addressed and an accurate IID form is resubmitted.

It’s important for those importing food into Canada to have already obtained their SFC licence to import prior to presenting their shipment at the Canadian border. This is because importers will be unable to obtain the proper licence at the border.

Those that currently hold a licence should review their profile to ensure that it has been issued for “importing” and that the commodities you intend to import are mentioned on the licence.

For those that don’t currently hold an SFC licence, it’s important to note that the application for a new licence or any request to amend a current licence could take up to 15 business days or longer.

To apply for a Safe Food for Canadians licence, importers need to create an account in My CFIA, and determine their licence structure before applying. There is no limit to the number of SFC licences one can hold; importers can operate on a single licence or multiple ones to suit their needs.

More information about importing food into Canada with a Safe Food for Canadians licence can be found here.

More About Argo Customs

The team from Argo Customs are procedural experts with all of the governmental agencies involved in exporting and importing goods in and out of Canada. Their specialists can provide customs clearance assistance and exchange shipments with any country on any form of transportation, saving you a great deal of time, trouble, and resources.

Learn more about Argo Customs by contacting 1 (888) 311-8303 or set-up an online account today!

Canada Border Services Agency Announces New Revenue Management System

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The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) recently announced that it would be implementing a new system that would “transform how the CBSA assesses, collects, manages, and reports on import revenue and trade information.”

As today’s leading importing/exporting firm in Canada, the team from Argo Customs will be participating in the rolling out of both projects, referred to as the CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management Project or CARM. The first release will take place in May 2021 and the second in May 2022.

CARM Will Transform the Importation Process

According to officials, CARM is a multi-year initiative designed to revolutionize the importation process. As one of the top collectors of revenue for the Canadian government, the CBSA is second only to the Canada Revenue Agency.

“The billions of dollars we collect annually in duties and taxes are critical to our economy,” a CARM representative recently stated.

To make it easier to import and export goods into and out of Canada, CARM will offer users an online portal that will give importers/exporters access to border services 24/7, every day of the week.

Some of the most attractive features to the new online portal will include:

  • Online tools to classify goods, submit e-declarations and calculate taxes and duties
  • View up-to-date account information
  • Make e-payments and become paperless
  • Allow importers and customs brokers to tailor the services needed to manage their own accounts
  • Streamline the process of working with the CBSA
  • Enhance consistency and adherence to trade rules and decisions
  • Minimize repetitive information requirements
  • & More!

Contact Argo Customs today to learn more about the CARM system!

For those importing and exporting goods into and out of Canada, contact Argo Customs today online for more information about the benefits CARM will provide and how we’re participating. You can also call 1 (888) 311-8303.

Canada Border Services Agency Investigating Alleged Injurious Dumping of Upholstered Domestic Seating

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The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) began investigating imports originating from China and Vietnam for illegal dumping of upholstered domestic seating. It is believed that these products are originating from China and Vietnam. The CBSA received the complaint on October 16, 2020, from Palliser Furniture, Ltd., a company based out of Winnipeg. Palliser and several other companies joined in the complaint alleging the import of these goods are them material harms in the form of lost profits and market share, reduced capacity, price depression, and low prices.

The CBSA started its investigation on December 21, 2020. The CBSA will determine whether the goods are being sold at subsidized or unfair prices and will issue a preliminary decision on March 22, 2021. Concurrently, the Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) will conduct a parallel investigation to determine if the imports are harming domestic producers. The CITT will issue its decision on February 19, 2021.

The goods subject to the investigation are upholstered seating under the following tariff classifications:

  • 9401.40.00.00
  • 9401.61.10.10
  • 9401.61.10.90
  • 9401.71.10.10
  • 9401.71.10.90

Upholstered means leather, pleather, and other fabric covers that are used with pads and springs to provide a soft covering for a seat frame. The covering can be permanent or semi-permanent (i.e., sewed or attached with Velcro). The definition also includes removable cushions. The types of seating include various types of chairs.

Illegal dumping refers to goods being imported at artificially low prices to either (1) undermine a domestic competitor or (2) to dump a large stock of a particular good. Illegal dumping can significantly harm domestic industries. Illegal dumping is a problem because certain countries, like Vietnam and China, specialize their industries in providing consumer and industrial goods at a larger scale than their Canadian counterparts and can use their lower labor and operating costs to outcompete domestic companies. The World Trade Organization, regional trade groups, and bilateral trade agreements restrict illegal dumping.

Contact ARGO Customs foo Canadian Importing & Exporting

ARGO Customs provides import and exporting solutions and services for personal and commercial shipments. To learn more, visit https://argocustoms.com/ or call 1 (888) 311-8303 today.

Updated Safety Notice on Pourable Alcohol-Based Fuels and Portable Firepots

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According to the Consumer and Hazardous Products Safety Directorate due to several incidents resulting in fatalities and serious injuries from fire jets erupting from pourable alcohol-based fuels and portable containers, safety guidelines have been updated to restrict the transportation of these fuels without proper safety equipment.

According to the ASTM-F3429 and F349M-20 publications containers that lack adequate flame mitigation safety equipment that meets the technical specifications laid out in the notices pose a danger to human life.

The Transport & Safety Details

All products that are deemed dangerous to human life or safety are prohibited from transport, advertisement, manufacture, and sale in Canada. Products that are deemed dangerous if it is foreseeable that in their normal operation, they could cause serious injury or death. According to the Directorate’s investigation, these portable containers were responsible for the fire jets because they lacked fire suppression and safety measures.

Essentially, according to the updated Notices, all containers that transport alcohol-based fuels must meet the safety guidelines outlined in the notices or they are per se illegal and could subject the owner and/or operator to fines or other punishments. The scope of the notices affects two types of products: (1) portable firepots and containers holding pourable alcohol-based fuels.

Portable firepots are devices that use pourable fuels and are not fixed (i.e., they can be moved around). These are devices that are “plug and play” – they don’t need specialized tools or need to be installed. Portable firepots include a broad range of consumer items such as:

  • Fire burners,
  • Patio burners,
  • Firelights,
  • Flame pots,
  • Portable fireplaces,
  • Firebowls, and
  • Fire pits.

Notice that all of these products are free-standing and are not attached to or embedded in anything. Therefore, portable firepots would exclude installed fireplaces, fire pits, grills, and other devices that are attached or fixed to a space.

Containers of pourable alcohol-based fuels, while by themselves are not dangerous, when used to transport in conjunction with a firepot can result in danger to human life. The scope of the order includes portable fuels such as chafing fuels, camping stoves, lighter fluid, and fire starters. The authorities are primarily concerned with containers that have a bottled neck and are not refillable. The order specifically excludes alcohol-based cleaning solutions, de-icing products, combustion engine fuels, jerry cans, and alcohol-based fuels that are in single-use pastes or canisters.

ARGO Customs

Contact our team at ARGO Customs for customs and import and export updates, and solutions.

 

Canadian Export Experts Argo Customs Now Support the CERS Declaration System

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December 15, 2020 – Toronto, On – The new Canadian Export Reporting System (CERS) is now online, and the experts at Argo Customs are ready to help shippers adopt this new system.  CERS is a free web-based self-service portal that is designed to speed up export declarations.  Features such as universal accessibility from any browser and the ability to make bulk declarations can help streamline shipments – and ARGO Customs has the expertise to make it easy.

This is the basic process:

  1. All exporters must have a business number issued by the Canada Revenue Agency.
  2. Exporters must identify all goods being exported, and vouch that they are also legally admissible at the country of final destination
  3. If the goods are in some way controlled, regulated, or prohibited, a permit may be required.  Argo Customs may be able to help in securing required documentation.
  4. The export declaration must include the appropriate export code for the goods.  This can be determined manually via the Canadian Customs Calculator, or Argo Customs can assist in the determination.
  5. The method of shipment (air, rail, highway, etc.) must be reported, along with an expected timeframe for the shipment.
  6. With these pieces of information, Argo Customs can then complete and submit the declaration.   In some situations, declarations may not be necessary – Argo can assist in determining these situations and ensuring proper labeling.
  7. Argo Customs can directly utilize CERS to finish the declaration on your behalf, making it easier than ever to complete shipments.

ARGO Customs is excited to be able to bring this new service to its customers. CERS will make exports faster and more reliable, as well as gathering vital data to help the Canada Border Services Agency provide better service in the future.  Any Canadian exporters are advised to contact a broker like Argo Customs for assistance in setting up their shipments.

About ARGO Customs

ARGO Customs employs exports in global imports and exports to provide the smoothest possible experience when moving goods in and out of Canada.  They can handle even complicated shipping situations while minimizing any bureaucratic problems and avoiding costly violations.  Argo Customs saves shippers time and money whenever moving goods across the Canadian border.

For more information or press inquiries, please contact 1 (888) 311-8303.

Argo Customs & FAQs About CUSMA

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[Nov. 30, 2020 – Toronto, CA] – Recently, some significant changes were made to The Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement’s (CUSMA) policies. Since it’s such an important aspect of importing and exporting in and out of Canada, the team from Argo Customs has collected some information here about the most recent changes.

Here are the most frequently asked questions related to the CUSMA updates.

Q: How are the latest CUSMA amendments applied?

A: The most recent amendments to the CUSMA regulations are applied retroactively.

Q: If my certificate of origin was issued under NAFTA but hasn’t been in effect for 12 months, will I need to have a new one issued, or is the old one still valid?

A: Unfortunately, the NAFTA certificate is only valid for goods imported under NAFTA and release on or before June 30, 2020. If will not be accepted for claims under CUSMA. Those importing goods into Canada moving forward will need to have a new CUSMA certification at the time of import.

Q:  Our Vendor has indicated there is no possible way they will have the resources to issue a CUSMA certificate to us by July 1, 2020. I understand the general regulations of who and how the new certificate can be created and the requirements of each field; but I am not confident to issue an importer certificate because of changes to our vendor’s sourcing and routing in the current environment.

A: For many goods, there will be no difference between the NAFTA and CUSMA rules of origin. Therefore, the importer can claim preferential treatment for goods released on or after July 1st, 2020, and the CUSMA rules of origin will apply, including provisions on the CUSMA certification of origin.

Based on the above, the CUSMA certification of origin must be used to certify that the goods meet the rules of origin under the CUSMA, and as such, there will be no transition period.

More About Argo Customs

For years, the team from Argo Customs has helped streamline the Canadian customs clearance process with their customs software solutions. They’re procedural experts with all of the governmental agencies involved in exporting and importing goods in and out of Canada, including Industry Canada, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Environment Canada, and many others.

The specialists from Argo Customs can provide customs clearance assistance and exchange shipments with any country on any form of transportation, saving you a great deal of time, troubles, and resources.

To learn more about Customs clearance in Canada (import and export), contact us at 1 (888) 311-8303 or set-up an online account today!