.png?crop=yes&k=c&w=768&h=1024&itok=WtGewuvs)
05/15/2026
CBP Reports Progress on CAPE Duty Refunds
Check out this week's Customs Corner to read about CBP Reports Progress on CAPE Duty Refunds, U.S. Federal Appeals Court Issues 10-Day Stay on Ruling Against Trump’s Section 122 Tariffs, and more.
Trade and Customs Updates
CBP Reports Progress on CAPE Duty Refunds
On May 12, 2026, Brandon Lord, Executive Director of Trade at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), released an update on the progress of the Customs Automated Processing Environment (CAPE) duty refund initiative.
As of 7:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Monday, May 11, 2026, CAPE had successfully validated and accepted declarations covering 15,123,221 entries subjected to IEEPA duties. These entries passed all required file and entry-specific checks, qualifying them for duty removal through CAPE.
Of these, 8,338,081 entries have already been liquidated or reliquidated without IEEPA duties. The anticipated total amount of duty refunds and interest for these liquidated entries is approximately $35.46 billion. This figure represents both the refunded principal and the associated interest; all calculated in accordance with federal laws and regulations following the removal of IEEPA duties.
The CAPE Refund system has begun consolidating these refunds and forwarding payments to the U.S. Department of Treasury. However, only a portion of the approved refunds and interest payments have been transmitted so far. The remaining payments continue to be processed, with consolidation based on the importer of record (IOR), authorized CBP Form 4811 designee, and the liquidation date of each entry.
It’s important to note that the final step—transmitting refunds to the Treasury—depends on confirmation of Automated Clearing House (ACH) account information. As of the reporting time, 1,880 consolidated refunds have not yet been sent to the Treasury because the necessary ACH account details have not been provided by the IOR or their designee.
CBP continues to encourage importers to ensure their ACH information is up to date to avoid delays in receiving their duty refunds.
Reference:
U.S. Federal Appeals Court Issues 10-Day Stay on Ruling Against Trump’s Section 122 Tariffs
On May 12, 206, a U.S. federal appeals court granted a 10-day stay on a recent Court of International Trade (CIT) decision that found President Trump’s Section 122 tariffs to be unlawful. The decision to pause the ruling came after the Trump Administration filed emergency appeals with both the CIT and the federal appeals court. In support of the stay, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer submitted a statement emphasizing that removing the Section 122 tariffs could undermine ongoing trade negotiations, as the tariffs are being used as leverage. Greer wrote, “maintaining the temporary import surcharge imposed in the Section 122 Proclamation is critical to ensuring trading partners’ continued cooperation in ongoing trade negotiations.”
Geodis continues to watch this case closely and will continue to provide updates as they become available.
CBP Updates Entry Summary Query to Include New "CAPE" Liquidation Reason Code
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has announced an update to the Entry Summary Query, which will now return a new Liquidation Reason Code “CAPE” as code 36 in the Output JD-Record. This enhancement is reflected in the latest version of the ACE CATAIR Entry Summary Query (v26), available under the “Chapters: Current Capabilities” section of the ACE CATAIR webpage. The new code and related updates will be deployed to both the Certification and Production environments on May 12, 2026. For technical questions or further assistance regarding this update, users are encouraged to contact their assigned Client Representative.
Reference:
Commerce Department Announces Application Process for Onshoring Pharmaceutical Manufacturing with Reduced Section 232 Tariffs
On May 11, the U.S. Commerce Department published a Federal Register notice outlining the procedures for pharmaceutical manufacturers to apply for company-specific agreements aimed at onshoring the production of pharmaceuticals and their ingredients. Under these agreements, companies are eligible for a reduced Section 232 duty rate on imports of their pharmaceutical products and related ingredients. This opportunity extends to businesses marketing foreign-made patented pharmaceuticals and ingredients that are currently subject to tariffs under Proclamation 11020. Interested companies can access the application at www.bis.gov/about-bis/bis-leadership-and-offices/SIES/section-232-investigations and must submit their completed forms and supporting documentation to [email protected]. Full application requirements are detailed in the Federal Register notice.
Reference:
CPSC Releases Updated Message Implementation Guide with Key Clarifications
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has released an updated version of its Message Implementation Guide (IG), now available in the "Draft Chapters: Future Capabilities" section of the CATAIR website. This revised guide features updated language specifying that only one OI record is allowed per HTS code and includes new clarification regarding the Intended Use Code restriction for type B disclaims. These enhancements aim to improve understanding and compliance for users of the ACE Automated Broker Interface (ABI) and the CBP and Trade Automated Interface Requirements (CATAIR).
Reference:
NCSD Launches 30+ Educational Webinars Focused on Innovation and Emerging Technology in Trade
The National Commodity Specialist Division (NCSD), Office of Trade, has announced a new series of over 30 commodity-specific educational webinars designed to support both internal and external stakeholders. This year’s series, themed “Future of Trade: Innovation and Emerging Technology,” will spotlight rapidly evolving technologies while also offering general classification guidance to facilitate legitimate trade.
The webinars will run from May through September 2026, beginning at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time and lasting about an hour, except for sessions on May 20, May 21, May 28, September 24, and September 28, which will start at 11:00 a.m. Eastern.
Registration is now open for May's sessions, with monthly registrations to follow for subsequent webinars. All webinars will be hosted on the WebEx platform, and recordings will be made available at https://www.cbp.gov/trade/stakeholder-engagement/webinars, with each session featuring a unique sign-in link.
The upcoming webinar links are available at https://www.cbp.gov/trade/stakeholder-engagement/webinars. A full 2026 webinar schedule will be available soon. We look forward to your participation in an exciting and successful webinar series!
The May schedule is as follows:
19 May | 1:30 - 2:30 p.m. ET | Classification in Chapter 49, Printed Matter
20 May | 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. ET | Recycling Aluminum: Sorting Through the Scrap
21 May | 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. ET | Trends in Classifying Coated Fabrics 2
26 May | 1:30 - 2:30 p.m. ET | Robot Wars: HTSUS Tariff Classification of Robots
27 May | 1:30 - 2:30 p.m. ET | Gauging Success-Apparatus of Headings: 9026 and 9029
28 May | 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. ET | Other Made-Up Textiles of Subheadings 6307.90 Part II
29 May | 1:30 - 2:30 p.m. ET | Classification of Certain Electrothermic Appliance Combos
Reference:
CSMS # 68625750 - National Commodity Specialist Division (NCSD) May 2026 Webinars
CPSC Announces Webinar Series to Prepare for E-Filing
Details: The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is pleased to announce a series of upcoming webinars designed to guide you through the final months leading up to implementation of eFiling for most regulated products. These sessions will provide a general overview of eFiling, share what you can expect upon full implementation, and highlight updates to the Product Registry.
Deadline/event date:
Wednesday, June 3, 2026 (2:00–3:00 PM ET) – 1 Month Out
Register here: June 3 Webinar Registration
Please submit your questions by May 29, 2026,with your registration at the link above.
Webinar Details
Attendance is limited to 1,000 participants per session.
Q&A and Chat features will not be available live; please submit all questions by the deadlines indicated above when registering.
8th Annual Customs and International Trade Day
Join us on June 3, 2026 for the 8th Annual Customs & International Trade Day in Lafayette Hill, PA, a full-day event focused on the latest developments shaping global trade, customs, compliance, and logistics. Attendees will hear from industry leaders and subject matter experts through executive discussions, timely policy updates, and practical breakout sessions designed to help organizations navigate today’s evolving trade environment.
Get expert advice on customs and foreign trade, direct from our comprehensive customs brokerage and trade services teams.