U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced today the selection of Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg P.A., along with four other organizations, to accredit non-government agency training materials for purposes of the new continuing education requirement for licensed customs brokers.
“ST&R has a long history of helping brokers, at both the local and national levels, improve their ability to serve the needs of importers,” said Lenny Feldman, who serves as managing partner, Operating Committee, for the firm. “We are honored by this recognition of our commitment to the industry and the subject matter expertise our professionals bring to the table, and we believe the work ahead of us will continue to enhance the reputation and capabilities of these service providers who are so vital to the smooth operation of global supply chains.”
In June 2023 CBP issued regulations that will require individual customs broker license holders to complete at least 36 continuing education credits every three years. CBP imposed this requirement to ensure that brokers have sufficient training to facilitate compliant trade while also helping to deter illicit trade.
“Brokers will be able to earn CE credits for coursework, seminars, webinars, workshops, symposia, conferences, and other training or educational activities related to import, brokerage, or international trade topics,” said Paula Connelly, who has been involved in broker education initiatives for decades and at ST&R runs one of the most effective broker exam preparation courses available. “However, those offered by corporations, non-profit organizations, or foreign government agencies will only qualify if they have been approved beforehand by one of the five accreditors selected by CBP. ST&R is now working with those other accreditors, and CBP, develop the accreditation process by the end of September.”
CBP established rigorous criteria for becoming an accreditor, including a demonstrated knowledge of international trade laws, customs laws and regulations, and general customs practices for imported goods and goods subject to drawback as well as a demonstrated knowledge of other U.S. government agencies involved in international trade transactions.
As a leading international trade, customs, export, and trade policy firm, ST&R has met and exceeded these requirements for more than 45 years. Our highly-regarded attorneys and professionals have an unparalleled depth of experience working both within and outside the dozens of federal agencies that oversee U.S. trade. We also have a number of licensed customs brokers who will be actively involved in the upcoming accreditation process. Moreover, ST&R has operated for many years a robust training program through which brokers, importers, exporters, and others can earn recognized credits for participating in seminars and webinars on a broad range of trade and customs topics.
For more information on ST&R’s accreditation or related services, please contact Lenny Feldman (via email or at (305) 894-1011) or Paula Connelly (via email or at (781) 897-1771).