2010 CBSA Compliance Verification Priorities

(GHY International)

The Canada Border Services Agency, Compliance Management Division has released its list of national priorities for verification in the coming year.

The selection of post-release verification priorities for trade programs is intended to support the CBSA’s risk-based approach that allows the Agency to ensure compliance with trade legislation and regulations while helping to provide a level playing field for Canadian businesses by ensuring the accuracy of trade data and the proper assessment, collection, relief and deferral of duties and taxes.

As outlined in this Powerpoint presentation, the CBSA has identified 14 national verification priorities so far for 2010:

Valuation verification

• Plastic household goods

Tariff Classification verification

• Magnesium sulphates
• Cotton yarn
• Copper and articles thereof
• Stone vs. articles of stone
• Reclaimed rubber
• Furniture parts
• Gloves
• Soap

Origin verification

• Vegetable fats and oils
• Articles of bedding and similar furnishings
• Perfume and toilet water industry
• Mattress upholstery
• Electric generators

Importers of the foregoing commodities that are being targeted by the CBSA in 2010 would be well-advised to immediately begin reviewing all aspects of their compliance procedures, especially as they relate to the applicable areas of concern (i.e., valuation, tariff classification, and origin determination) in order to minimize potential risk exposure.

If assistance is needed in this regard, GHY has extensive experience in conducting pre-audit verifications and compliance risk assessments. To find out more about how we can help, contact can be Alan Dewar toll-free (1-800-667-0771) or by email.

Note: Although we are proactively contacting as many clients as possible that we reasonably believe may potentially be impacted by the CBSA’s 2011 verification agenda, this effort may be somewhat impaired due to the fact that a list of specific HS tariff items being targeted by the Agency has not yet been released. Therefore, if we haven’t managed to reach out to you as yet in this regard, please consider the commodities under review with respect to your imports and let us know if you feel there may be potential exposure to risk that may need to be addressed.