Product Safety

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The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the public from the risk of injury or death associated with the use of consumer products. In particular, CPSC works to protect consumers from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazards. CPSC’s Compliance Investigators, also known as the “Toy Police,” work closely with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at ports to identify and examine imported consumer products.

If CPSC determines that an imported product is unsafe and violates an applicable statute, CPSC may issue a Letter of Advice (LOA) that identifies the statute and the compliance failure. CPSC may also recommend that CBP seize the products or take other appropriate actions. However, sometimes these LOA and CBP seizures are based on erroneous information or other inaccuracies. In these cases, the experienced attorneys at Barnes Richardson can work with the importer to gather and present evidence of compliance to the CPSC and seek the release of seized property from CBP.

Jan. 21, 2025: Proposed Rule Prohibits Section 301 Goods from De Minimis Exemption
Jan. 21, 2025: Day 1 Trade Actions Have No Tariffs but Lots of (Potential) Impact
Jan. 15, 2025: East Coast/Gulf Workers and Ports Agree to 6-Year Contract
Jan. 14, 2025: Chinese Semiconductors Under 301 Investigation
Jan. 13, 2025: China Moves to Protect Its EV and Battery Supply Chains
Jan. 13, 2025: BIS Expanding Controls on Advanced AI and Computing Technology
Jan. 13, 2025: Customs Proposes Change to De Minimis Shipments
Jan. 10, 2025: CBP Seeks to Add Post-Departure Filing Requirements for Rail Shipments to Canada and Mexico
Jan. 3, 2025: BIS Assessing Controls of ICTS From China and Russia used for UAS/UAVs
Dec. 20, 2024: AD/CVD Petitions Filed on Erythritol
Dec. 19, 2024: AD/CVD Petitions Filed on Lithium-ion Battery Components
Dec. 18, 2024: U.S. Implements First Step in Trade Agreement with Taiwan
Dec, 16, 2024: Appeals Court Questions First Sale Decision
Dec. 12, 2024: Importer Pleads Guilty to Smuggling Chinese-Origin Tires into the U.S.
Dec. 5, 2024: China Retaliates Against U.S. Export Controls by Blocking Crucial Minerals
Nov. 26, 2024: President-Elect Threatens Tariffs on Canada, Mexico, China
Nov. 22, 2024: EU Forced Labor Regulation Advancing
Nov. 22, 2024: Significant Additions to UFLPA List
Nov. 20, 2024: History Offers Some Clues Regarding Export Controls Under the Next Administration
Nov. 18, 2024: Joint Action Targets "Third Party Enablers" Supporting Russia's Military Industrial Base
Nov. 15, 2024: Update on Recently Published BIS Cases – "Don't Let This Happen to You"
Nov. 14, 2024: U.S. and Indonesia to Expand Trade Relations with Critical Minerals Talks
Nov. 11, 2024: Pentagon Plans to Nearshore Supply Chains
Oct. 31, 2024: USITC Negative Final Determination On Aluminum Extrusion Imports
Oct. 30, 2024: EU Springs Forward with Countervailing Duties on Chinese EV Batteries
Oct. 28, 2024: Tangential Participant Liability Under the EAR
Oct. 24, 2024: Common & Commercial Interpretation Leads to 25% Section 301 Duty
Oct. 22, 2024: BIS Issues New Rule and Proposed Rule to Amend U.S. Space-Related Controls
Oct. 16, 2024: U.S. Legislators Call on USMCA Partners to Mirror UFLPA
Oct. 15, 2024: Nonprofit Report Links Pharmaceuticals to Forced Labor
Oct. 11, 2024: EU Follows Suit with Duties Against Chinese EVs
Oct. 4, 2024: BIS Imposes Penalty for Back-Dated Document
Oct. 4, 2024: Tri-Seal Enforcement Event Insights
Sep. 27, 2024: East Coast and Gulf Coast Port Strikes Impact Supply Chains
Sep. 23, 2024: Proposed Rule to Prohibit Vehicle Connectivity Systems from China and Russia
Sep. 20, 2024: Multilateralism Increases Odds of Catching Export Violations
Sep. 19, 2024: C-TPAT Members Get FTZ Benefit for Forced Labor Detentions
Sep. 17, 2024: White House Pursues De Minimis Crackdown
Sep. 13, 2024: Revised 301 Tariff Coverage and Start Date Finalized
Sep. 11, 2024: Illegal Tile Import Leads to Prison Time
Sep. 6, 2024: AD/CVD Petitions Filed Against Against Corrosion-Resistant Steel Imports
Sep. 5, 2024: Customs Reminds Importers that Most UFLPA Seizures Aren't Shipped from China
Aug. 30, 2024: New Wave of Sanctions Against Russia
Aug. 29, 2024: Canada And U.S. Eye-To-Eye on Chinese Tariffs
Aug. 23, 2024: Critical Mineral Access Shapes U.S. Trade Plans
Aug. 22, 2024: CFIUS Touts Enforcement Capabilities with $60 million Penalty
Aug. 16, 2024: U.S. – Canada Rail Disruption Appears Likely

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Jan. 22, 2025: Webinar: What We Know After the Inauguration
Sep. 9, 2024: McPherson to Co-Moderate Export Enforcement Discussion
Jun. 2, 2023: BRC and Attorneys Ranked in 2023 Chambers Guide
March 3, 2017: Watch the Webinar: Consumer Products Safety and Customs Enforcement at the Border
By: Lawrence M. Friedman
February 14, 2017: BRC, Joern Law Firm to Hold Joint Webinar on Consumer Product Safety Rules and Import Requirements
By: Lawrence M. Friedman