Alexandra Blake

Certificate of Origin: Preferential vs Non-Preferential, Forms, and How to Obtain One (2026 Guide)

A practical guide to certificates of origin: the preferential vs non-preferential split, key forms like EUR.1, USMCA, REX and Form A, rules of origin, how to obtain one, and the mistakes that cost importers their duty preference.

Letter of Credit in International Trade: Types, Process and Documents (2026 Guide)

A documentary letter of credit swaps a buyer's promise to pay for a bank's promise. Here is how LCs work, the parties involved, the step-by-step process, every major type, the documents required, and the ICC rules (UCP 600, ISBP 745, eUCP, URDG) that govern them in 2026.

Bill of Lading Types and Functions: A 2026 Guide

A bill of lading is a receipt, a contract of carriage and a document of title all at once. Here is how the straight, order, house and sea waybill types differ, when to use each, and what the shift to electronic bills means for your cargo in 2026.

US De Minimis in 2026: Where the $800 Exemption Stands After the Supreme Court Ruling

The $800 de minimis exemption is effectively gone for commercial US imports, and the February 2026 Supreme Court ruling did not bring it back. Here is where Section 321 stands in 2026, what it means operationally, and the checklist we run with clients.

How to Claim IEEPA Tariff Refunds in 2026 After the Supreme Court Ruling

The Supreme Court struck down IEEPA tariffs in February 2026, and CBP is already refunding billions through its new CAPE process. I explain which of your paid duties are refundable, which are not, and how to protect at-risk entries before the appeal plays out.

Section 232 Pharmaceutical Tariffs 2026: An Importer's Guide to the 100% Duty

In April 2026 the White House imposed a 100% Section 232 tariff on patented drugs and their APIs, effective 31 July for 17 named companies and 29 September for everyone else. Here is how importers can check scope, exemptions and bonds.

FMCSA Broker Transparency 2026: A Carrier and Broker Decision Guide

Two FMCSA actions reshape freight broker rules in 2026: a transparency SNPRM targeted for July 2026 and the Part 387 financial-responsibility rule that took effect 16 January 2026. Here is what carriers, owner-operators, brokers, and dispatchers must actually do.

The EU Customs Reform 2026: EUCA, the Data Hub and Trust & Check

The EU Customs Reform agreed on 26 March 2026 is the biggest overhaul of the Customs Union since 1968. We break down the new EU Customs Authority in Lille, the phased EU Customs Data Hub (2028, 2031, 2034) and Trust and Check trader status, plus how importers and forwarders should prepare.

What the 2026 Customs Enforcement Executive Order Means for Importers of Record

On 3 June 2026 the White House signed Executive Order 14411, Strengthening Customs Enforcement. Here is what its importer-of-record vetting, data, and bonding overhaul means for US importers and freight forwarders, plus the September and December 2026 deadlines and a preparation checklist.

FCA Incoterms 2020 and the On-Board Bill of Lading Problem (the Letter-of-Credit Fix)

FCA sales often clashed with a letter of credit that demands an on-board bill of lading. Here's the Incoterms 2020 fix, and why FCA beats FOB for containers.

ISF 10+2 Filing: An Importer's Guide to Timing, Data and Penalties (2026)

A practical ISF 10+2 guide for US ocean importers: the data elements, the 24-hour deadline, who files, and how to avoid $5,000 penalties.

How to Find and Verify an HS Code: A 2026 Importer How-To

A practical guide to HS code structure, how to find the right code, how to verify it with tariff schedules and binding rulings, and who is liable for errors.