Ira Reese
Ira Reese is the former Executive Director of Laboratories and Scientific Services of United States Customs and Border Protection. He currently is the Chief Technology Officer and Director for Global Security and Innovative Strategies (GSIS) specializing in Border and Venue Security, Homeland Security Issues and Trade Issues.
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Content by Ira Reese
Impact of US tariffs on exporters and importers
In this expert-led UK roundtable, it is discussed about the impact of US tariffs on exporters and importers, focusing in particular on:An overview of developments over the last few months with comments from a US expert.The views of UK trade and customs expert on what traders should do to avoid...
The long and winding road: pursuing a bad trade decision by a customs officer in the United States
In the US, the law allows an importer to contest adverse decisions on their customs entries for a number of reasons including differences in appraised value, classification and rate of duty, exclusion from entry and refusal to pay a drawback claim. Anyone who either advises importers or directly pursues what...
U.S. tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles and their effects
On 14 May, U.S. President Joe Biden placed a 100% tariff duty rate on imports of Chinese Electric Vehicles (EVs). The reasoning was that the low cost of Chinese EVs needs to be counterbalanced by tariffs so that domestic manufacturers can compete fairly against Chinese imports. Editors’ note: For developments...
United States Deforestation Bill of 2023: What lies ahead?
The U.S. Deforestation Bill was introduced in the Senate in November 2023. It aims to combat illegal deforestation by prohibiting the importation of products obtained, in whole or in part, from certain commodities produced on lands where illegal deforestation is occurring, and for other purposes. The legislative process is ongoing....
Volkswagen Xinjiang facility and forced labor
As the European Union ponders statutes that respond to unverified claims by different organizations of the usage of slave labour in the manufacture of a variety of goods from China, a series of claims has been made against one of the Union’s largest manufacturers: Volkswagen. As we review the claims...
Proposed U.S. Foreign Pollution Fee Act (similar to the EU’s CBAM)
EU importers of cement, iron and steel, aluminium, fertilizers, electricity and hydrogen are preparing to submit their first report under the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), based on emissions data from their third-country suppliers. What about other countries? Will they also introduce such climate measures, so that EU and other...
Sustainability: on CBAM and forced labour law
In this Episode 5 of the CKI podcast series, we discuss sustainability and customs 'on both sides of the Atlantic'. Questions raised for the discussion: 'Sustainability' factors include environmental, social and employee matters, respect for human rights, anti-corruption and anti-bribery matters. Leaving aside the moral desirability of addressing these matters,...
The issue with using supply chain information to control product flow from the forced labor area of China
Most people that work in the worldwide import/export industry are familiar with the Rules of Origin and with terms such as “substantial transformation” and “double substantial transformation”. However, the concept put forth to prevent importation of Uyghur goods is totally alien to the community in that an importer who is...
Customs issues related to trade in purported forced labor
While many countries of the world find it morally correct to act regarding the importation of forced labor products, in the case of Xinjiang cotton the actions will be very difficult to achieve. Countries may enact “feel good” laws forbidding importation of such products and international bodies can develop guidelines...
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The long and winding road: pursuing a bad trade decision by a customs officer in the United States
In the US, the law allows an importer to contest adverse decisions on their customs entries for a number of reasons including differences in appraised value, classification and rate of duty, exclusion from entry and refusal to pay a drawback claim. Anyone who either advises importers or directly pursues what...
U.S. tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles and their effects
On 14 May, U.S. President Joe Biden placed a 100% tariff duty rate on imports of Chinese Electric Vehicles (EVs). The reasoning was that the low cost of Chinese EVs needs to be counterbalanced by tariffs so that domestic manufacturers can compete fairly against Chinese imports. Editors’ note: For developments...
United States Deforestation Bill of 2023: What lies ahead?
The U.S. Deforestation Bill was introduced in the Senate in November 2023. It aims to combat illegal deforestation by prohibiting the importation of products obtained, in whole or in part, from certain commodities produced on lands where illegal deforestation is occurring, and for other purposes. The legislative process is ongoing....