Product Safety

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. 

Aug. 21, 2025
US and EU confirm Trade Framework in Joint Statement
Aug. 19, 2025
High-Priority Sectors Added to UFLPA Enforcement
Aug. 18, 2025
CBP Touts (Some) Dumping Evasion Wins
Aug. 15, 2025
New AD/CVD Petitions on High Purity Dissolving Pulp from Brazil and Norway
Aug. 15, 2025
Commerce Adds 407 (!) HTS Codes to 232 Derivative Annexes Starting Monday
Aug. 14, 2025
U.S. Eyes Content Percentage for "Transshipment" Enforcement
Aug. 11, 2025
Trump Extends China Tariffs by 90 Days
Aug. 11, 2025
Creatively Ambiguous Japan Deal has Unstacked 15% Baseline
Aug. 8, 2025
Indications of Steel and Aluminum Quotas for EU in Trade Deal
Aug. 6, 2025
Additional 25% Tariffs on Indian Imports Announced
Aug. 1, 2025
New Round of Global Tariffs: A Round Up
Jul. 31, 2025
Copper 232 Coverage Issued Through Customs
Jul. 30, 2025
Gird Your Wires: Copper Tariffs Coming August 1st
Jul. 30, 2025
Brazil Gets Its Own IEEPA Tariffs
Jul. 30, 2025
De Minimis Window to Close August 29
Jul. 29, 2025
Boston Train Cars Detained by Customs for Forced Labor Allegations
Jul. 28, 2025
Trump Announces Trade Agreement Framework with the EU
Jul. 23, 2025
Trump Announces Trade Deals with Philippines, Indonesia, and Japan
Jul. 16, 2025
USTR Initiates Section 301 Investigation on Brazil
Jul. 15, 2025
Commerce Initiates Section 232 Investigations into Drones and Polysilicon Imports
Jul. 8, 2025
President Trump Spills the Tea on Copper Tariffs
Jul. 2, 2025
Trump Announces Trade Deal With Vietnam
Jul. 1, 2025
Canada Changes Course on Digital Services Tax
Jun. 17, 2025
Trump Administration and UK Sign Trade Deal
Jun. 16, 2025
Customs' Guidance on Aluminum Imports: Know the Country of Smelt and Cast or Pay 200%
Jun. 12, 2025
U.S. and China in a Trade Deal with Details to Follow
Jun. 9, 2025
Section 232 Steel and Aluminum Tariffs Rise, Change, and Maybe Expand
Jun.3, 2025
Section 232 Steel and Aluminum Tariffs on the Rise
Jun. 2, 2025
CIT Clarifies Scope Referral Requirement in EAPA Cases
May 30, 2025
Tariffs Back on For a While Probably, Maybe
May 22, 2025
Skirting the Law: UFLPA Compliance and Subsidiaries
May 15, 2025
Another Customs "Clarification" Excludes Feeder Ships from In-Transit Vessel Exemption
May 13, 2025
White House Announces Trade Deal With China (UPDATE)
May 12, 2025
Commerce Initiates Section 232 Investigation on Aircraft, Engines, and Parts
May 12, 2025
White House Announces Trade Deal With China
May 12, 2025
Customs Clarifies "U.S. Content" for Reciprocal Duties
Ma 8, 2025
U.S. and U.K. Strike Trade Deal Following Trump Tariffs
May 7, 2025
CIT Issues Classification Neither Party Advocated
May 1, 2025
A Brief Survey of the IEEPA Legal Challenges
Apr. 30, 2025
CBP Clarifies: In-Transit Tariff Exemption Applies Only to Vessel Shipments
Apr. 29, 2025
Administration to Ease Auto and Parts Tariffs
Apr. 29, 2025
Latest Executive Order Limits Tariff Stacking
Apr. 24, 2025
De Minimis Ending for Goods of China (and Hong Kong)
Apr. 23, 2025
Section 232 Takes on Medium and Heavy-Duty Trucks
Apr. 17, 2025
Another Rapid Response Mechanism Request on the Books
Apr. 16, 2025
Trump Orders National Security Investigation for Critical Minerals
Apr. 10, 2025
EU to Pause Countermeasure Response for 90 Days