International Trade Blog

If your company exports goods valued at more than $2,500 to anywhere other than Canada or exports goods that require an export license, U.S. Foreign Trade Regulations (FTR) require that you file your export information electronically through the Automated Export System (AES).

The Census Bureau uses this information to calculate export statistics and shares it with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to ensure compliance with U.S. export regulations.

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Unfortunately, once both parties agree to the method of payment, sellers frequently don’t give much thought to the actual terms and conditions that are contained in the letter of credit. This is a mistake, and it can lead to a world of problems.

As the seller, you should pay particular attention to the international bill of lading requirements in the letter of credit.

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The golden glow of an early autumn sunset shone through my kitchen window. The smell of pumpkin bread wafted through the kitchen, and I quickly removed it from the oven as the timer buzzed.

Eagerly, I took a knife, cut a thick slice of the bread, covered it with a pat of butter, and took a big bite.

And then, I spit it out.

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In a previous blog post, I discussed what I had learned by attending a seminar cosponsored by the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) and the Minnesota Trade Office. I described how to find an item’s Export Control Classification Number (ECCN) on the Commerce Control List (CCL).

In today’s blog post, I will describe the next step in the process: How to use the Commerce Country Chart to determine if an export license is required based on the reasons for control.

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Do you know the difference between HS codes, HTS codes, and Schedule B codes? In casual conversation, exporters tend to use these terms interchangeably; they, for the most part, understand that these are codes representing classifications of products.

While it’s not wrong to use them interchangeably in casual conversation, it is important to understand the differences—if not, you could get into trouble, and your shipment could, too!

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When shipping goods overseas, you’ll need to correctly complete an ocean bill of lading. It’s just a standard bill of lading… how hard can it be?

Not so fast! Though the bill of lading forms are a template, they still require attention to detail in order to avoid mistakes that can cost you.

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It may seem easy to become an exporter—particularly since the internet knows no borders—but the scope of things exporters need to be aware of is very broad.

To start with, companies need to identify foreign markets for their products, determine the best method for selling those goods, and make sure they're going to get paid.

They also need to be aware of potential export compliance issues. And to do that, they need to know which U.S. government agency has jurisdiction over their goods and what set of export regulations apply. Without enough information, it can quickly get confusing.

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I know there are companies out there that never look at their letters of credit (LC) until they are ready to present documents to the bank. Once they’ve received one from their customer, they assume it’s as good as gold and immediately put it away for safekeeping.

This practice sends shivers down my spine!

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Have you heard about electronic certificates of origin (eCO) available for exporters? The online version of the certificate of origin form is cheaper and easier to complete than the traditional paper format—and equally secure.

In case you missed it, here are 3 Reasons Exporters Should Use an Electronic Certificate Of Origin. Here’s information on how to complete your eCO online.

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You’ve probably known since grade school that Puerto Rico is not a state. But do you know what it is?

It’s an unincorporated United States territory in the Caribbean Sea made up of a main island plus several smaller islands with a population of about 3.5 million people.

But what does it mean to be an unincorporated U.S. territory?

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