FTZ Board Proposes Significant Revisions to Foreign Trade Zones Regulations

January 4, 2011

The Foreign Trade Zones (FTZ) Board recently issued a notice of proposed rulemaking which proposes a major overhaul in the substantive and procedural rules (15 CFR Part 400) for the authorization of Foreign Trade Zones (FTZs) and the regulation of activity that occurs inside those zones.  Key revisions in the proposed rule pertain to activities in FTZs in which an imported component is combined with one or more other components to create a different finished product, as well as expedited access to FTZ benefits for U.S. manufacturers for export-oriented activity.

The FTZ Board is soliciting comments from interested parties on the proposed new rule.  All comments must be received on or before April 8, 2011.  Please contact a Barnes/Richardson attorney with any questions or if you would like assistance in preparing comments for the FTZ Board.

For a full summary of the FTZ Board's proposed revisions, click here.