26-0717: Friday's "Export/Import Daily Bugle"

1. Today's Federal Register (No items of interest.)

(Source: Today's Federal Register)

2. Future Federal Register (No items of interest.)

(Source: Future Federal Register)

3. CBP Cargo Systems Messages

(Source: DHS/CBP/CSMS)

4. CBP Events in July and August 2026

(Source: OTR Webinars)

5. Commerce/BIS (Nothing new.)

(Source: Commerce/BIS)

6. DoD/DSCA Updates SAMM for Legacy Case Closure

(Source: Defense Security Cooperation Agency, 16 Jul 2026)

DSCA posts Policy Memo 26-84 Updating Security Assistance Management Manual for Legacy Case Closure. Effective immediately, this memorandum updates the Security Assistance Management Manual (SAMM) by incorporating the requirements outlined in reference (a) into SAMM Chapter 16, Case Reconciliation and Closure.

This memo:

7. State/DDTC (Nothing new.)

(Source: State/DDTC)

8. Treasury/OFAC Posts Venezuela FAQ

(Source: Treasury/OFAC, 17 Jul 2026)

The Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is issuing one new Venezuela-related Frequently Asked Question, FAQ 1263. For more information on this specific action, visit our Recent Actions page.

9. White House Executive Actions (No items of interest.)

(Source: The White House)

10. Breaking Defense: "CMMC May be Paused, but Cybersecurity Audits Likely to Return"

(Source: Breaking Defense News, 17 Jul 2026) [Excerpts]

Despite the pause of third-party audits in a Defense Department program for contractors, the Pentagon will likely have to return to some kind of review regime to ensure there are no unlocked virtual doors for adversary hackers to walk through, according to industry officials and experts.
     Leaders in the Department of Defense and Small Business Administration announced Monday that they are taking a pause on Phase II of the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program, which requires companies working with the DoD to undergo third-party assessments to ensure they're compliant with cybersecurity standards.
     CMMC does not set the standards; those come from NIST SP 800-171 Rev 2, which outlines 110 cybersecurity requirements to protect controlled unclassified information (CUI). CMMC, rather, is focused on ensuring any contractor bidding for a certain capability complies with said standards.
     Through the pause, the Pentagon said it will continue to enforce baseline cybersecurity compliance through self-assessments, which the department says will focus on tangible cyber hygiene as opposed to administrative overhead.
     Jacob Horne, Chief Cybersecurity Evangelist at Summit 7, said in written responses to Breaking Defense... Summit 7 is a managed IT and cybersecurity service provider focused on helping defense contractors with cybersecurity requirements, including CMMC compliance. "The question that's never been answered is 'how does the government know what you claimed in your self-assessment is true?'" . . . [Full article]

11. Diaz: "IEEPA Tariff Refund Update: CIT Will Order Reliquidation of Some Finally Liquidated Entries"

(Source: Customs & International Trade Law Blog, 3 Apr 2026) [Excerpts]

* Author: Jennifer Diaz, Esq., Diaz Trade Law LLP

Summary: The U.S. Court of International Trade has announced that it plans to order U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to reliquidate certain finally liquidated entries in approximately 3,700 pending IEEPA tariff refund cases once CAPE Phase 3 launches.
     The court also confirmed that CBP continues to expand CAPE's refund capabilities, including future functionality for entries with open protests, and provided an update on the billions of dollars in refunds already being processed.
     These developments represent another significant step toward resolving pending IEEPA tariff refund claims for importers. [Full article]

12. Expeditors News: "USTR Announces Section 301 Tariffs on Brazilian Goods"

(Source: Expeditors News, 16 Jul 2026) [Excerpts]

In a press release published on July 15, 2026, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced that it was imposing a 25% Section 301 tariff on certain goods of Brazilian origin.
     This action was taken after an investigation into "Brazilian measures related to digital trade and electronic payment services; unfair, preferential tariffs; anti-corruption interference; intellectual property protection; ethanol market access; and illegal deforestation are unreasonable and burden or restrict the commerce of American farmers, workers, innovators, and exporters."
     Certain Brazilian goods such as specific beef products, oranges, coconuts, pineapples, coffee, pharmaceuticals, aerospace products, and more are exempted from the Section 301 tariff. These Section 301 duties will apply to goods from Brazil that are entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on July 22, 2026. . . .
     USTR's Press release and link to the FR Notice are HERE.

13. MSN: Super Micro Falls as Co-founder, Employee Charged with Nvidia Chip Export Violations

(Source: MSN News, 17 Jul 2026)

Three individuals linked to AI server maker Super Micro Computer (SMCI), including a co-founder, were charged with assisting in the smuggling of at least $2.5 billion worth of U.S. AI technology to China, in violation of export laws, the U.S. Justice Department said Thursday. . . .
     U.S. prosecutors did not name Super Micro in the complaint, referring only to a "U.S. manufacturer." San Jose, California-based Super Micro said it was informed by federal prosecutors of the indictment on Thursday. It noted that the company itself was not named as a defendant in the case and said it had cooperated with investigators.
     In an indictment unsealed on Thursday, the U.S. government alleged that Yih-Shyan "Wally" Liaw, Ruei-Tsan "Steven" Chang and Ting-Wei "Willy" Sun worked together to violate the Export Control Reform Act. . . .
     U.S. officials allege the trio went to great lengths to hide their actions from both U.S.-based server manufacturers and export control authorities, even using hair dryers to remove labels and serial numbers from the real machines and placing them on dummy machines left behind after the real machines had been shipped to China. . . .
     The server company's products containing Nvidia (NVDA) chips "are subject to strict U.S. export controls barring their sale to China without a license," the plaintiff said in the indictment. "Those controls are in place to protect U.S. national security and foreign policy interests, among other things." . . . [Full article]

14. ST&R Trade Report: "Section 301 Tariff on Imports from Brazil Takes Effect July 22"

(Source: Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg Trade Report, 17 Jul 2026) [Excerpts]. Contact: [email protected], 1-305-894-1035

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has issued a notice that will impose a new Section 301 tariff of 25 percent on imports from Brazil. This tariff will be effective with respect to goods entered or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption on or after 12:01 am EDT on July 22, except for goods that (1) were loaded onto a vessel at the port of loading and in transit on the final mode of transit prior to entry into the U.S. before that time and (2) are entered or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption before 12:01 a.m. eastern time on July 29. . . .
     The new tariff will apply to all goods of Brazil except hundreds of products identified in the two annexes to the notice, which USTR said are (1) raw materials that, if subject to this tariff, could lead to the unavailability of domestic supply, (2) products that could cause economy-wide disruptions if subject to this tariff, (3) products that cannot be grown or produced in sufficient quantities or at reasonable prices in the U.S. or obtained from other sources, or (4) articles for which this tariff may not contribute substantially to the elimination of the acts, policies, and practices of Brazil determined to be actionable.
     USTR said these exemptions include all products proposed for exemption except high-purity dissolving pulp and the non-pharmaceutical applications of certain chemicals and chemical products. This includes informational materials, donations, accompanied baggage, and all articles and parts of articles subject to Section 232 tariffs. USTR is also exempting additional products beyond those proposed, including: . . . [Full article]

15. Akin: "CPSC Rule Mandates eFiling of Certificates of Compliance for Imported Consumer Products"

(Source: Akin Insights, 15 Jul 2026) [Excerpts]

* Principal Author: Lars-Erik A. Hjelm, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP

Last week, a Final Rule that the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) approved on December 18, 2024, and published on January 8, 2025, took effect. Beginning July 8, 2026, importers must electronically file (eFile) their certificates of compliance (in the form of required data elements) from the CPSC with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the time of entry. Importers, domestic manufacturers and private labelers must certify that finished products meet CPSC rules, bans, standards or regulations with either a General Certificate of Conformity (GCC) or a Children's Product Certificate (CPC).
     CPSC's eFiling rule does not change the substantive requirements for an importer's products to comply with these GCC or CPC standards, but it does change the administrative process by which importers communicate their products' certification. Previously, . . .
     Who is Responsible for eFiling: . . .
     Required Certificate Data Elements to eFile: . . .
     How to eFile in ACE: Full vs. Reference Message Set: . . .
     How CPSC Will Use eFiling and Steps Importers Should Take Now: . . .
     [Full article]

16. Brownstein: "July Defense Trade and Arms Export Newsletter Highlights"

(Source: BHFS Insights, 16 Jul 2026) [Excerpts]

Authors: BHFS Team, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck

Department of War Announces Review of NATO and 'NATO 3.0' Strategy ‒ Secretary Pete Hegseth met with the defense ministers of NATO-allied countries prior to the upcoming NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey. Secretary Hegseth announced that the Trump administration would conduct a six-month review of the transatlantic defense alliance, taking input from U.S. and European military commands. . . .
     Delays with UK Defense Budget Sees Resignation of Defense Minister Healey ‒ The United Kingdom's (UK) Defense Investment Plan (DIP), created by former Prime Minister Keir Starmer, is a wide-sweeping defense budget for the country over the next four years with spending goals for key weapons programs. . . .
     Germany Unveils 15-Year Plan to Bolster Its Aviation Industry ‒ The German cabinet approved a plan that aims to bolster Germany's competitiveness in aviation over the next 15 years. . . .
     Trump Administration Speaks on Implementation of Arms Sales EO ‒ Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy Michael Cadenazzi said the Trump administration is progressing on the implementation of President Trump's Executive Order (EO), "America First Arms Transfer Strategy." . . .
     UK and Japan Look to Increase Defense Cooperation ‒ Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and then-United Kingdom (UK) Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced plans to deepen defense cooperation. . . .
     Japan Considering Establishing U.S. FMS-Style Program ‒ Following Japan's decision to permit export of defense articles, the country is reportedly considering establishing a version of the U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program according to Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi. . . .
     President Trump Meets with Defense Contractors ‒ On June 24, President Trump and Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg met with leadership from several defense contractors to discuss increasing weapons production following U.S. operations in Iran. . . .

17. HLC: "UK and India Free Trade Agreement Enters Into Force"

(Source: Hogan Lovells Cadwalder Engage, 15 Jul 2026) [Excerpts]

* Principal Author: Aline Doussin, Hogan Lovells Cadwalder LLP

Key takeaways

[Full article]

18. ST&R Trade Report: "File a Lawsuit Now to Secure IEEPA Tariff Refunds on Liquidated Entries"

(Source: Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg Trade Report, 17 Jul 2026) [Excerpts]. Contact: [email protected], 1-305-894-1035

CIT Action: On July 15, the CIT started issuing such orders in approximately 3,700 individual lawsuits seeking IEEPA tariff refunds. These orders require the plaintiffs to submit certain information to CBP, through specific instructions issued to each plaintiff's counsel. Once those instructions are followed, a CAPE declaration may be submitted.
     These CIT orders confirm that importers of record with entries liquidated beyond 80 days should file a lawsuit now to take advantage of CAPE Phase Three at this time. Doing so should result in a quicker refund of IEEPA tariffs.
     Importers can follow this process even for entries covered by a protest. Once an importer receives a reliquidation order from the CIT and confirms its CAPE Phase Three eligibility, protests can easily be withdrawn so the CAPE declaration may proceed.
     Other Considerations: While filing a lawsuit is still not yet legally required (there is a two-year window) and administrative protests may remain a viable option for receiving refunds, clearly the CIT's actions and CBP's stated commitment to roll out CAPE Phase 3 by the end of July, starting with court plaintiffs, provide importers with a more immediate path to expedite refunds on entries liquidated beyond 80 days.
     Even though the CIT continues to discuss with CBP a future CAPE phase covering protested entries, and class-action certification motions remain pending at the CIT that, if granted and upheld on appeal, may obviate the need for importers to file individual lawsuits, importers should strongly consider court action to receive IEEPA refunds now through CAPE Phase 3.
     What to Do Now: Importers with entries liquidated beyond 80 days that were ineligible for CAPE Phase 1 or Phase 2 should act now to file a lawsuit to expedite the IEEPA duty refund process. . . . [Full article]

19. Partnering for Compliance™ Presents: "Firearms: Exporting & Importing" 16 Sep 2026

(Source: A.E. NicPhaidin)

* What: An overview of recent changes made to the firearms controls under the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). This includes: ECCNs, license requirements, supporting documentation requirements, and license exception applicability. (Topics may change)

* Where: VIRTUAL Only (via Zoom)

* When: Wednesday, 16 September 2026 - 8:00am - 5:00pm EDT

* Speakers: Alex Douville and Thomas Trotto, DDTC (Licensing); Max Kingery and Deanna Fetterolf, ATF; Bruce Leeds, Braumiller Law Group; Timothy Mooney and Logan Norton, BIS (invited).

* Cost: $250. Register today to guarantee admittance. Limited to first 200 participants to maintain informal and collaborative environment

* Certificates of Completion: NCBFAA/NEI; CCS/MCS CES/MES LCB: 9 credits

* Register: HERE. Full Conference details HERE.

20. List of Export/Import Job Openings

(Source: Editor)

22. Bartlett's Unfamiliar Quotations

(Source: Brainy Quotes)

* Phyllis Diller (Phyllis Ada Diller; née Driver; 17 Jul 1917 – 20 Aug 2012; was an American actress and comedienne, best known for her eccentric stage persona, self-deprecating humor, wild hair and clothes, and exaggerated, cackling laugh. Diller was one of the first female comics to become a household name in the U.S., credited as an influence by Joan Rivers, Roseanne Barr, and Ellen DeGeneres, among others. She was also one of the first celebrities to openly champion plastic surgery, for which she was recognized by the cosmetic surgery industry.)

23. Do You Need to Update Your Daily Bugle Profile?

(Source: Editor)

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24. Are Your Copies of Export/Import Regulations Current?

(Source: Editor)

The official versions of the following regulations are published annually in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) but are updated as amended in the Federal Register. The latest amendments are listed below.