Best Wishes

It seems that Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Bersin is coming into office with a reasonable level of agency humility. According to press reports of his first policy speech, Bersin has pledged to repair the relationship between the agency and the trade. Among other things, Bersin promises to:

• Talk to the trade before taking action in contrast to what was done with respect to first sale valuation.
• Broadening trade outreach beyond COAC
• Segment trade customers and focus resources on the 10% of the trade that causes 90% of the non-compliance

I characterize this as a sign of humility because it seems like an acknowledgement that the trade feels it has not been well-treated and that it might be at least partially justified. On the other hand, an inside-the-beltway type might see this as pandering to Congress, which has recently been moving toward mandated trade facilitation. Personally, given the current environment, I see it as a genuine effort at fence mending. Let's hope I am right about that.

Speaking of the Commissioner, I add a mazel tov to this happy bride and groom. Note the jobs listed for the father of the bride and the father of the groom. Sounds like a situation comedy customs audit about the happen.