U.S. Government | Associations & Information Guides | Media | Shipping
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U.S. Government Sites
- Agency for International Development - USAID is an independent federal government agency that conducts foreign assistance and humanitarian aid to advance the political and economic interests of the United States.
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms
- Bureau of Industry and Security - The mission of the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is to advance U.S. national security, foreign policy, and economic interests. BIS's activities include regulating the export of sensitive goods and technologies in an effective and efficient manner; enforcing export control, antiboycott, and public safety laws; cooperating with and assisting other countries on export control and strategic trade issues; assisting U.S. industry to comply with international arms control agreements; and monitoring the viability of the U.S. defense industrial base and seeking to ensure that it is capable of satisfying U.S. national and homeland security needs.
- Bureau of Export Administration
- U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) - One of the Department of Homeland Security's largest and most complex components, with a priority mission of keeping terrorists and their weapons out of the U.S. It also has a responsibility for securing and facilitating trade and travel while enforcing hundreds of U.S. regulations, including immigration and drug laws.
- NAFTA Customs
- Department of Agriculture (USDA) - USDA serves all Americans, the farmer as well as everyone who eats, wears clothes, lives in a house, or visits a rural area or a national forest. USDA assists America's farmers and ranchers; but also is responsible for the safety of meat, poultry, and egg products, helps ensure open markets for U.S. agricultural products, and much more.
- Department of Commerce - promotes job creation, economic growth, sustainable development, and improved living standards for all Americans, by working in partnership with business, universities, communities, and workers to: (1) Build for the future and promote U.S. competitiveness in the global marketplace, by strengthening and safeguarding the nation's economic infrastructure; (2) Keep America competitive with cutting-edge science and technology and an unrivaled information base; and, (3) Provide effective management and stewardship of our nation's resources and assets to ensure sustainable economic opportunities.
- Department of Energy - a leading science and technology agency whose research supports our nation's energy security, national security, environmental quality, and contributes to a better quality of life for all Americans.
- Department of Labor - charged with preparing the American workforce for new and better jobs, and ensuring the adequacy of America's workplaces.
- Department of State - U.S. diplomacy is an instrument of power, essential for maintaining effective international relationships, and a principal means through which the United States defends its interests, responds to crises, and achieves its international goals. The Department of State is the lead institution for the conduct of American diplomacy, a mission based on the role of the Secretary of State as the President's principal foreign policy adviser.
- Department of Transportation - serves as the focal point in the Federal Government for the coordinated national Transportation Policy. It is responsible for transportation safety improvements and enforcement, international transportation agreements and the continuity of transportation services in the public interest.
- Department of Transportation Security Administration- protects the Nation’s transportation systems to ensure freedom of movement for people and commerce.
- Department of the Treasury - The basic functions of the Department of the Treasury include: Managing Federal finances; Collecting taxes, duties and monies paid to and due to the United States and pays all bills of the United States; Producing all postage stamps, currency and coinage; Managing Government accounts and the public debt; Supervising national banks and thrift institutions; Advising on domestic and international financial, monetary, economic, trade and tax policy; Enforcing Federal finance and tax laws; Investigating and prosecutes tax evaders, counterfeiters, forgers, smugglers, illicit spirits distillers, and gun law violators; Protecting the President, Vice President, their families, candidates for those offices, foreign missions resident in Washington and visiting foreign dignitaries.
- Embargo
- Environmental Protection Agency - The mission of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is to protect human health and to safeguard the natural environment — air, water, and land — upon which life depends.
- Federal Communication Commission - The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent United States government agency. The FCC was established by the Communications Act of 1934 and is charged with regulating interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable. The FCC's jurisdiction covers the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. possessions.
- Federal Trade Commission – The Federal Trade Commission enforces a variety of federal antitrust and consumer protection laws. The Commission seeks to ensure that the nation's markets function competitively, and are vigorous, efficient, and free of undue restrictions.
- Fish & Wildlife Service - The principal agency to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of you, the American public. They enforce Federal wildlife protection laws, such as the Endangered Species Act.
- Food and Drug Administration - ensures that the food we eat is safe and wholesome, that the cosmetics we use won't harm us, and that medicines, medical devices, and radiation-emitting consumer products such as microwave ovens are safe and effective. FDA also oversees feed and drugs for pets and farm animals.
- International Trade Administration - The International Trade Administration is dedicated to helping U.S. businesses compete in the global market place.
- International Trade Commission - an independent, quasi-judicial federal agency that provides objective trade expertise to both the legislative and executive branches of government, determines the impact of imports on U.S. industries, and directs actions against certain unfair trade practices, such as patent, trademark, and copyright infringement.
- Small Business Administration - created by Congress in 1953 to help America's entrepreneurs form successful small enterprises. Today, SBA's program offices in every state offer financing, training and advocacy for small firms.
- Trade and Development Agency – assists in the creation of jobs for Americans by helping U.S. companies pursue overseas business opportunities.
- Trade Representative - is responsible for developing and coordinating U.S. international trade, commodity, and direct investment policy, and leading or directing negotiations with other countries on such matters.
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Associations & Information Guides
Back to top- Asia Global Sources
- China Council for the Promotion of International Trade - The trade body of the Chinese government
- EU Information Source - Provides practical information for European Union enterprises and entrepreneurs looking for business in another European Union country.
- Export Import Bank of the United States - an independent U.S. Government agency that helps finance the overseas sales of U.S. goods and services
- IATA - seeks to improve understanding of the industry among decision makers and increase awareness of the benefits that aviation brings to national and global economies. It fights for the interests of airlines across the globe, challenging unreasonable rules and charges, holding regulators and governments to account, and striving for sensible regulation.
- Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China - Responsible for administering China's foreign trade, economic cooperation and foreign investment. Contains news, policies and related resources.
- National Motor Freight Traffic Association Inc. – Provides expertise in freight classification, packaging and transportation codes.
- Overseas Private Investment Corporation - an independent U.S. Government agency that assists U.S. companies investing in some 140 emerging economies around the world.
- TradeAgreements.gov - an interagency effort by the United States Government to provide the public with the latest information on America's trade agreements.
- United States Council for International Business - Promotes an open system of world trade, finance, and investment from the perspective of business.
- World Customs Organization – Independent intergovernmental body whose mission is to improve the administration of customs. History, structure, activities, and member countries.
- World Trade Organization – the only international body dealing with the rules of trade between nations.
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Media Publications
Back to top- Air Cargo World – Provides the latest news and special reports about the air cargo industry.
- American Journal of Transportation - A weekly newspaper that covers transportation and logistics news
- American Shipper – Articles, news and features on international shipping, air cargo and logistics.
- Asia Times On-Line - Daily on-line newspaper of Asia
- JoCSailings - Access many of the worldwide ocean shipping schedules.
- Journal of Commerce - Read the latest industry news articles and search their database by various topics.
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Shipping Information
Back to top- Basic of Importing into the United States – attachment Explains process of importing goods into the U.S., including informed compliance, invoices, duty assessments, classification and value, marking requirements, etc.
- Canadian Import Hamonized Tariff Codes
- CarnetsOnline.com - Provided by Roanoke Trade, a Carnet is a type of temporary international Customs document that allows for many types of imports into another countr.
- Census Bureau - Search the Schedule B database for US Export Customs Codes.
- Export Basics / Licensing
- Harmonized Tariff US Import Duty Rates - Please note the tariff numbers and duty rates are subject to change
- How to Correctly Complete an Shipper’s Export Declaration
- How to find Foreign Import Duty Rates
- International Incoterms – Incoterm attachment
- Oceanschedules.com - Search over 5,000,000 voyage options across many global and regional carriers.
- SCAC Code Database for Ocean and Truck Carriers - attachment
- Schedule B Export Code
- U. S. Import Duty Rates - This page contains the chapter-by-chapter listing of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule and general notes.
- World Ports (from Maritime Global Net)