The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has announced the implementation of Phase VII of the Lacey Act declaration provisions. This means declarations will be required for all remaining plant product Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) codes that are not 100-percent composite materials.
Since Congress amended the Lacey Act in 2008, APHIS says it has been illegal to import and trade in illegally harvested plants, combatting illegal logging and associated trade. APHIS stated, “Requiring importers to affirmatively declare that their imports are legal means they must do their due diligence to ensure that what they are bringing in doesn’t adversely impact forests, thereby reducing the demand for illegally harvested wood and the products made from them.”
Enforcement of Phase VII of the Lacey Act begins in six months. Public comments regarding the products covered in this phase may be made here before July 30, 2024. View the Federal Register notice via this link.
The International Wood Products Association (IWPA) is offering two full-day compliance training courses for free in 2024. These full-day courses will cover the essential elements of a due diligence program and complying with the Lacey Act. These courses are for CEOs, CFOs, buyers, compliance staff, customs specialists, sales staff, overseas producers, and importers involved in trade and who need to be compliant with Lacey Act Implementation Phases I – VII.
In-Person Lacey Act Compliance and Due Diligence Courses Will Be Held From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the following locations and dates.
June 4, 2024
Carson Events Center
801 Carson St.
Carson, CA 90745 (Just outside of Los Angeles)
June 6, 2024
Guilford Technical Community College
7908 Leabourne Rd.
Colfax, NC 27282 (Just outside of Greensboro)
Click here to register. Can’t make the in-person courses or want even more educational programming? Take one of IWPA’s new online on-demand courses.