- We seek to establish disciplines to ensure transparent, efficient, and predictable conduct of customs operations and ensure that customs measures are not applied in a manner that creates unwarranted procedural obstacles to trade; and enhance customs cooperation between the United States and the EU and its Member States.
Red tape at the border adds costs and creates delays. U.S. exporters benefit from knowing ahead of time precisely how much they’ll pay in customs duties and fees – and from the ability to pay electronically – so that they can build those costs into their goods’ final price. Further, farmers and ranchers succeed when their products don’t perish on the dock and they don’t have to pay for additional warehousing simply because of arbitrary delays at the border. Reducing the amount of time spent moving goods through border procedures benefits all traders and has the compounding effect of reducing trade costs.
In today’s fast-paced world, it is critical that people have the ability to move goods on an expedited basis without burdensome customs filing requirements. Procedures that allow for pre-arrival processing, advance rulings, release of goods under bond, uniform appeal procedures, express shipments and use of de minimis values also contribute to expedited release that benefits U.S. exporters. Additionally, greater cooperation among customs authorities helps ensure not only that high-quality, authentic U.S. goods can be delivered to consumers more rapidly, but also that those genuine goods are not competing with smuggled or counterfeit products.
For more information on customs and trade facilitation, visit www.ustr.gov/trade-agreements/wto-multilateral-affairs/wto-doha-negotiations/trade-facilitation.
