Every international corporate executive, customs broker, banker, and attorney needs to know what the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) will mean to their business and their client's business. Understanding the North American Free Trade Agreement is an easy-to-understand summary and analysis of the major provisions and side agreements of this landmark accord. It is written in terms simple enough for the layman, but also contains the detailed information that will assist the experienced international trade executive or attorney. The new third edition updates NAFTA through the 2008 US elections and the activities relating NAFTA of the new Obama administration. The book contains extensive discussion of the NAFTA arbitration decisions, including summaries of important investor state cases in the Appendices. 'If you need a short, but authoritative discussion of NAFTA, this is the place to look.' ‒ J. Mattera, International Trade Information Resources

With the intensified focus on antiterrorism in US trade policy -- and the transfer of the Customs Service from the US Treasury Department to the Department of Homeland Security as the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection -- traditional ways of thinking about customs and trade law are now out of date. In light of the war on terrorism and the emphasis on border security, businesses engaged in the crossborder exchange of goods face a multitude of new laws and initiatives -- in addition to the traditional array of responsibilities required by the US Bureau of Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. While these regulations are intended to strengthen border security, without careful planning they may have the unfortunate result of hindering the efficient movement of goods. In addition to updated customs forms and helpful appendices, this third edition covers the burgeoning area of free trade agreements between the US and countries around the globe. These agreements are a critical aspect of US bilateral trade relations, affecting not only duty rates but also rules of origin and policies on investment, trade in services and access to Government procurement markets. In sum, this book is an invaluable tool for a host of international trade professionals including in-house counsel dealing with import-export issues, corporate logistic managers, regulatory and compliance managers, and import-export specialists.

This manual is written as a guide through the most important legal procedures that control imports. It is likely to be of most use to practitioners who are not yet experts in the field, corporate counsel in both domestic and foreign companies whose products are sold across national borders, and students learning about these complicated regulatory laws. Each chapter is written by experienced counsel in Washington, D.C.--some of whom have inside experience from working in the government agencies that administer the laws they are writing about. The authors have incorporated practical advice--"Practice Comments"--in their description of how these laws work. It is the intention of both the authors and editors to supplement the Manual with updated material from time to time, which will be available online.