INTERNATIONAL TRADE LAW
International Trade Law Articles
Customs classification, export controls, sanctions, and the compliance work that keeps cross-border business moving.
426 articles
Trade Barriers Explained: Tariffs, Quotas & More
Trade barriers are government measures that restrict or regulate the flow of goods and services across borders, usually to protect domestic industries, raise …
Unpaid Tariffs on DDP Imports: Who Is Liable
When tariffs go unpaid on a Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) shipment, the U.S. buyer can still be liable — even though DDP is the Incoterm that puts customs duties on …
De Minimis Rule Changes: What Importers Must Know Now
As of mid-2026, the $800 de minimis exemption is suspended for shipments from every country. No low-value shipment enters the United States duty-free: every …
How to Export Cars from the US: CBP Rules & Steps
Exporting a car from the United States takes two government filings and one in-person step: you must file Electronic Export Information (EEI) in the Automated …
Customs Notice of Seizure: What It Is & How to Respond
A customs notice of seizure is a formal letter from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) telling you the government has taken your merchandise because it …
Trade Compliance Roles and Responsibilities Cheatsheet
A working trade compliance program assigns six functions — import compliance, export compliance, classification, screening, recordkeeping, and audit — to named …
Why Sanctions Screening Helps Exporters Prosper
Sanctions screening protects exporters because OFAC penalties are strict-liability — you can be fined for dealing with a sanctioned party even if you never knew …
What Is Sanctions Screening? A Compliance Guide
Sanctions screening is the process of checking the people, companies, and countries you do business with against government lists of prohibited and restricted …
Customs Clearance: How US Import Release Works
Customs clearance is the process of getting your imported goods released by CBP — filing the entry, paying the duties and taxes owed, and satisfying any other …
Penalties for Violating Export Control Laws
Export control violations carry both civil and criminal penalties — up to 20 years in prison and over a million dollars per violation — and they apply per …
U.S. Export Restrictions to China: A Primer
Exporting to China is legal and routine for most goods, but it sits under heavier U.S. export controls than almost any other destination — so the safe approach …
Sanctions Screening: Definition, Process, and Risks
Sanctions screening is the process of checking the people and businesses you deal with against government restricted-party lists before money or goods change …
CBP Form 28 Requests for Information & Prior Disclosures
A CBP Form 28, the Request for Information, is U.S. Customs and Border Protection asking you to prove something about an entry — invoices, payment records, …
Customs Seized Your Cash? CBP Currency Rules Explained
If you carry more than $10,000 in cash or monetary instruments across a U.S. border and fail to report it, Customs and Border Protection can seize every dollar …
Encryption Export Controls Under the EAR
If your product contains encryption, assume it is export-controlled until you have classified it — most encryption items fall under Category 5, Part 2 of the …
Export Controls Explained for U.S. Exporters
Export controls are the U.S. laws that decide what you can ship abroad, to whom, and whether you need government permission first — and the answer turns on four …
Export Licensing Under the EAR: Do You Need One?
Most exports from the United States do not require a license — but you cannot assume yours is one of them until you have answered three questions about the …
Exporting Used Vehicles: CBP Rules to Know
To export a used vehicle from the United States, you must give U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) the vehicle’s title and ownership details at least …
FDA Detention of Imports: How to Respond
A Notice of Detention is the FDA’s formal statement that an imported shipment “appears to” violate U.S. law and is being held at the port …
FDA Food Import Rules: A Compliance Guide
Importing food into the United States means meeting four core FDA requirements: register the foreign facility, file Prior Notice for every shipment, maintain a …
