Many companies are struggling during these challenging times and having to make difficult decisions about the size of their workforce, employee benefits, and the goods and services they offer. Some items are scarce or even temporarily unavailable, and acquiring the goods a business needs to remain viable is not always easy. The last thing a company needs is a conflict involving import regulations.
Unfortunately, too many businesses wait until they are involved in a complicated legal dispute with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection before they look at whether they are in compliance with federal and international trade law. More successful companies can minimize trade issues by taking the following steps:
- Learning about the specific regulations that govern their industry and remaining on top of any recent and pending changes in laws
- Establishing procedures among their managers and partners and routinely reviewing them to ensure everyone is on board
- Creating a schedule for regular self-assessment and making a practice of inviting neutral third parties to periodically review the company’s compliance programs
- Investigating appropriate technology to assist them with integrating the company’s customs activity and improving importing and exporting procedures
- Revising and updating standard operating procedures to preempt any international trade issues
Compliance with customs and trade laws is not a one-time project. Rather it is an ongoing task that takes consistency and diligence. Businesses do not have to handle this complex work or any trade matters without the advice and assistance of legal professionals with extensive experience in international trade law.