Anti-Illicit Trade

Published on April 9, 2024

WHAT’S AT STAKE FOR BUSINESS

Illicit trade is a serious threat that feeds a booming multi-trillion-dollar global illegal economy and harms every market, puts public health and safety at risk, and upends the rule of law and investment climate. It is a threat multiplier that helps fuel transnational crime, corruption, and greater insecurity and instability around the world. Illicit trade results in:

Lost revenue and market share;
Intellectual property theft, stolen data, and dis-incentivizes innovation;
Job displacement for workers and business closures;
Increased costs of doing business overseas;
Heightened violence and criminality in some markets; and
Diminished brand integrity and market reputational value.

USCIB meets with BIAC AITEG delegation to the OECD Working Party on Countering Illicit Trade (WP-CIT) in Paris.

USCIB Staff and Member with Deputy Assistant Sect. of DHS, Office of Policy, Tasha Reid Hippolyte (Left)

CURRENT PRIORITIES

Objectives

Illicit Trade in the COVID-19 Crisis Environment. Click here to visit our dedicated page on COVID-19 for messages from our CEO, press releases, member-driven initiatives, and more.
Development of Anti-Illicit Trade Committee (AITC) Plan of Action (POA) and focus on key member brand protection concerns and Anti-Illicit Trade (AIT) issues of interest, provided below in alphabetical order:
- Engagement of China and other Source Markets of Fakes;
- Targeted Action on Illicit Trade including Counterfeit and Pirated Goods;
- AIT Enforcement at Free Trade Zones (FTZs);
- Strengthening Information sharing across sectors and markets; and
- Address “small parcels” trade in contraband and illicit commodities.
Raising public awareness of newly established AITC at USCIB and its commitment to fight illicit trade with U.S. government agencies and U.S. Congress, private sector and business community, international and intergovernmental organizations, and economies and market stakeholders around the world.
Active leadership and engagement in Business at OECD and the Business at OECD Anti-Illicit Trade Expert Group (AITEG) and align activities and outcomes.

USCIB AT WORK:

At OECD, engage via Business at OECD, on the work of the Task Force on Countering Illicit Trade (TF-CIT) in efforts to address the threats and barriers tied to illicit trade, promoting strategic alliances, and work closely with BIAC and OECD on webinars on illicit trade in the COVID crisis environment.
Bridging Partnerships: In APEC, explore possible synergies with OECD and Business at OECD; OECD-APEC collaborations in 2019-2020; and G2B opportunities on fighting illicit trade across markets.
At ICC, where relevant, engage in the work of the Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy (BASCAP) initiative.
In Washington, where we regularly meet with U.S. government officials to educate them on the work of the AITC particularly with the U.S. Departments of Commerce, Homeland Security, Justice, State, and Treasury, White House (National Security Council and Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator), and U.S. National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center.

WHO WE ARE

The USCIB Anti-Illicit Trade Committee is composed of USCIB member companies representing a range of business and industry sectors. Priorities are determined that reflect a consensus among the members.

The Committee takes a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary, approach and public-private partnerships, to elevate the fight against illicit trade, particularly related to the work of the OECD’s TF-CIT, corresponding activity by Business at OECD, and the work of the International Chamber of Commerce’s Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy (BASCAP) initiative.

Mission

The Committee promotes strong international AIT leadership and advocates for a comprehensive and multi-disciplinary approach to the complex topic of illicit trade including, among others:

Business at OECD and Business at OECD Anti-Illicit Trade Expert Group (AITEG)

OECD Task Force on Countering Illicit Trade (TFCIT), Governance Directorate
APEC and in other strategic international fora in advance of USCIB Partnerships

U.S. Departments of Commerce, Homeland Security, Justice, State, and Treasury, White House (National Security Council and Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator), and U.S. National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED

All USCIB members are eligible to participate in the USCIB Anti-Illicit Trade Committee. If you are a member and would like to be added to this committee or if you would like more information on how to become a member, please contact:

Alison Hoiem
Senior Director, Member Services
(202) 682-1291 – ahoiem@uscib.org

USCIB on LinkedIn

Chair

David Luna
President and CEO
Luna Global Networks & Convergence Strategies LLC

Staff

Megan Giblin
Director, Customs & Trade Facilitation
(202) 371-9235 – mgiblin@uscib.org

Staff

Ashley Harrington
Policy & Program Assistant, Washington
202-683-5861 or aharrington@uscib.org

Customs and Trade Facilitation

Published on April 9, 2024

Trends and Challenges in Customs:

Unnecessary and burdensome barriers to trade can cost companies and national economies billions of dollars.
Global convergence and modernization of customs practices are necessary for efficient supply chains.
Trade facilitation and robust implementation of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) are critical to members of the trade. The TFA promises to streamline customs processes and procedures, provide increased transparency, predictability, and speed the movement of goods across borders around the world.

USCIB Meets With WCO Secretary-General Elect Ian Saunders (2023)

USCIB is committed to pursuing a broad trade and customs agenda in 2023. The USCIB Customs and Trade Facilitation Committee (CTFC) promotes elimination of trade barriers and harmonization of global customs and border procedures and focuses on supporting the expedited cost-effective movement of goods across borders in full compliance with import requirements.

USCIB Staff and Members at the 2024 Trade Facilitation and Cargo Security Summit in Philadelphia

Current Priorities:

(alphabetical)

Classification, valuation, origin: at the domestic and international level (WTO and WCO, as applicable) ensuring industry engagement and issue resolution
CTPAT/Trusted Trader, Minimum Security Criteria (MSC), Mutual Recognition, and WCO Safe Framework
Customs and TF Provisions of U.S. Free Trade Agreements, securing a better outcome for customs and TF provisions as well as ensuring compliance
Customs Modernization, guidance and direction on 21^st Century Customs environment
Digitalization including a focus on Customs Data – Confidential Business Information, Data Protection, Data Sharing and Interoperability of Single Windows, protecting CBI and ensuring necessary protections are in place
E-Commerce in the Customs space, focused on the cross-border movement of physical goods acquired via any online means (e.g., WCO E-Commerce FoS)
Expedited and full implementation of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement
Forced labor: (Section 307, UFLPA, etc.), guidance and direction
Green Customs, providing a thoughtful prioritization in the customs space

USCIB’s Response:

Provide thoughtful and focused U.S. domestic and international recommendations on Customs and Trade Facilitation matters including, but not limited to, customs modernization, forced labor, digitalization and confidential business information (CBI) protections, customs classification, and customs valuation. Represent ICC as authorized representatives to the WCO Harmonized System Committee (HSC) and Review Subcommittee (RSC) meetings.
Advocate for our members in efforts to secure the global classification of products at WCO.
Advocate for full (robust) and expedited l implementation of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA).
Work in collaboration with U.S. agencies on customs and TF matters before the WTO, including (USG) on humanitarian cargo /shipments at the WTO Committee on TF, and matters before the Committee on Customs Valuation.
Advance thoughtful consensus, member-supported, comments which often take into consideration potential implementation issues and/or unintended consequences on such key issues as Customs matters in the crisis environments (e.g., COVID, natural disasters, etc) , Customs and Trade Facilitation provisions in FTAs, forced labor, domestic and international e-commerce efforts in the customs space related to physical goods movement (e.g., WCO Framework of Standards).
Advocate for business on issues such as customs modernization, customs classification and valuation, forced labor, green customs, non-application of customs formalities to electronic transmissions, and more. Leverage participation in government advisory groups (e.g., ITAC13– Customs and Trade Facilitation, COAC 21 CCF Task Force) to raise member issues of interest and member consensus inputs on Committee priority topics.
Meet with U.S. government officials at the key agencies of Department of Commerce, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Department of Treasury, and Department of State to ensure that U.S. business interests are well reflected in U.S. government positions.
Promote the reduction of trade barriers and transaction costs at the border, as well as in customs control practices and advocates for the harmonization of global customs procedures by leveraging various fora and government agencies