The US Senate has today confirmed Jared Novelly, of Missouri, to be Ambassador to New Zealand, and to serve concurrently and without additional compensation as Ambassador to the Independent State of Samoa, the Cook Islands, and Niue. We look forward to welcoming the Ambassador to New Zealand in the coming months.
Jared Novelly has a distinguished career in business, sports management, and philanthropy. He currently serves as the Principal of Crest Sports and Entertainment, through which he is the Owner and Chairman of The Illawarra Hawks, a basketball team that competes in the National Basketball League for Australia. He is also the Director of Apex Holding Company and Apex Oil Corporation, Inc. in St. Louis, Missouri.
Mr. Novelly has served as a Principal, Owner, and Broker of Saint Albans Realty. He has also served in various positions for Southwestern Bell Wireless as a Customer Care Representative, Assistant Manager, and Regional Manager. Mr. Novelly worked for SBC Wireless/Cingular and SBC Management Services, Inc. as a Director of Internet Operations, Associate Director of Merger Transition and Global Solutions. In living and conducting business throughout the Oceania region over the last seven years, he has developed strong professional relationships across both business and government sectors and a deep understanding of the region’s economic and political landscape, making him well qualified to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to New Zealand, the Independent State of Samoa, the Cook Islands, and Niue.
Mr. Novelly is a native of St. Louis, Missouri. He holds a Masters of Property Development from the University of Technology Sydney in Ultimo, Australia and both a B.A. and B.S. from Saint Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri.
Source: https://www.state.gov/
The American Chamber of Commerce in NZ, a leading voice in fostering robust trade and connectivity between New Zealand and the United States, is proud to announce the official launch of its highly anticipated annual awards program. This year's awards introduce six dynamic new categories designed to recognize and celebrate the innovative businesses and individuals driving the future of the bilateral relationship.
We are delighted to welcome New Zealand legend, Phil Keoghan, as our awards Ambassador. Phil is one of New Zealand’s most successful creative talents on the world stage, earning him numerous awards for his TV shows and films. Phil knows what it takes to succeed in the USA and encourages businesses to enter our awards.
The expanded categories highlight key growth sectors and strategic areas of cooperation, providing a platform to showcase excellence, ingenuity, and success in the transatlantic marketplace.
The new award categories are:
CLICK ON THE RELEVANT AWARD ABOVE TO DOWNLOAD A COPY OF THE AWARDS APPLICATION FORM & CRITERIA
We will also present an AmCham member of the Year award.
"These new categories reflect the evolving partnerships and opportunities in with the USA, New Zealand’s second largest trading partner ", said Mike Hearn Executive Director, AmCham.
Mark Foy, Managing Director, New Zealand and Pacific Islands at DHL Express, said, “Recognising the next generation of New Zealand businesses driving growth in one of our most important global markets is why DHL Express remains committed to partnering with AmCham for this awards program. The United States continues to be a key trading partner for Kiwi exporters, and we’re seeing strong momentum from innovative, ambitious companies leveraging international logistics to scale faster. We’re proud to support and celebrate those taking bold steps to expand their footprint and strengthen the vital trade connection between New Zealand and the USA.”
Entries for the awards open on 12th May with applications available on our website www.amcham.co.nz Entries close on 3rd July and winners will be announced at a prestigious gala dinner to be held at Pullman Hotel in Auckland on 17th September - click here for tickets to the dinner.
Lead sponsor- DHL Express Airline sponsor - United Airlines Gold sponsors - ANZ Bank, Insprie Labs, Lockheed Martin New Zealand and SweeneyVesty. Silver sponsors - Ironside McDonald Intellectual Property, Buckley Systems Ltd
Media supporter - The Business. Wine sponsor - Constellation Brands Event Manager and sponsor - Event Revolution
See Phil Keoghan's video
Data-driven collaboration to maximize value of a combined library featuring Alcon's own Blade Runner 2049, The Blind Side and The Expanse alongside newly acquired global franchises like The Matrix and Mad Max LOS ANGELES - April 2, 2026 - Alcon Media Group and Parrot Analytics today announced a strategic partnership to integrate Parrot Analytics’ industry-leading global, cross-platform entertainment analytics and content valuation into Alcon’s decision-making across film, television, interactive and publishing. The collaboration provides a unified, global view of audience demand and independent valuation to prioritize development, inform go-to-market plans, and unlock long-term potential across Alcon’s library. Following Alcon’s acquisition of the Village Roadshow Entertainment Group film library - adding 108 feature titles - the company is broadening its focus from individual productions to the careful stewardship and monetization of a larger library of existing work. Together with Parrot Analytics, Alcon will identify latent demand, assess franchise viability, and determine optimal timing and format by market around existing titles so timeless stories can reach new audiences thoughtfully and effectively. “Our founding principle has always been to be creatively led and to support artists with a disciplined, business-first approach,” said Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosove, Co-CEOs of Alcon Media Group. “As our library has grown, so has the complexity and opportunity. Partnering with Parrot Analytics gives us a rigorous global view of audience demand and independent, title-level valuation to manage the portfolio with precision and continue delivering high-quality entertainment.” Under the collaboration, Alcon will use Parrot Analytics’ TV, Movie, and Talent Demand products - together with Audience Demographics and Audience Sentiment - and apply Content Valuation and custom engagements to turn insights into action across its multi-vertical operations. The aim is a common decision language that aligns creative investments with evidence from global entertainment analytics data, from development through release and beyond. “Global content valuation is the new standard for modern studios, streamers and content makers worldwide to maximize content investment returns. At this scale, you need an operating system for developing, valuing and monetizing IP. Our end-to-end entertainment analytics suite transforms content from every stage into a measurable, comparable and investable asset class - without compromising creative ambition - to maximize capital returns for all stakeholders involved,” said Wared Seger, CEO of Parrot Analytics. The partnership will initially concentrate on two workstreams designed to convert analytics into everyday levers for Alcon’s creative and commercial teams: IP investment strategy: Quantify demand for Alcon’s slate of films and TV shows, while providing valuations for future library acquisitions. Talent planning: Inform casting, producer and filmmaker teams, with global independent demand at a market specific level. Together, these workstreams form a repeatable decision framework that converts independent insight into portfolio-level action across Alcon's entire content ecosystem. ABOUT ALCON ENTERTAINMENT Los Angeles-based independent finance and production company Alcon Entertainment has financed and produced or co-financed and co-produced 35 films to date, including the critically acclaimed Blade Runner 2049, starring Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford, which was nominated for five Academy Awards, and won for Best Cinematography and Best Visual Effects; The Book of Eli, starring Denzel Washington and Gary Oldman, the Academy Award Best Picture nominee The Blind Side, which earned Sandra Bullock an Oscar for Best Actress; the thrillers Insomnia, and Prisoners, which helped launch the careers of Christoper Nolan, and Denis Villeneuve, respectively, and the recent Sony Pictures box office success The Garfield Movie, the animated film adaptation of the beloved cartoon strip Garfield, featuring Chris Pratt and Samuel L. Jackson. In 2015, Alcon launched its Alcon Television Group. It is currently in post production on Blade Runner 2099, an original series for Amazon Prime to premiere in 2027. Other projects include the hit sci-fi series The Expanse; the animated children’s series Pete the Cat, a co-production with Amazon Studios, based on the best-selling children’s book series. Alcon Television Group’s other past projects include the Grammy-winning and Emmy-nominated four-part documentary The Defiant Ones, originally developed for HBO, which chronicled the divergent roots and unlikely partnership of Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine, that launched exclusively on NBCUniversal’s Peacock; Amazon’s animated holiday special Pete The Cat: A Groovy New Year, featuring Elvis Costello; and the Emmy-nominated HBO documentary Sinatra: All Or Nothing At All from Oscar-winning director Alex Gibney, which remains one of HBO’s most successful shows in the 50+ demographic. For Alcon Entertainment, contact: Christine Foy christine@angelcopr.com ABOUT PARROT ANALYTICS Parrot Analytics is the global authority on media and entertainment intelligence, providing the strategic decision support the world's leading studios, producers, streamers, investors and government bodies rely on to de-risk content investment and maximize returns. Trusted across the full media economy - from studios and streaming platforms to film funds, sports leagues and government bodies - Parrot Analytics informs capital allocation, acquisitions, programming strategy and IP valuation at the highest levels of the industry. Measuring the demand and preferences of more than 2 billion audiences worldwide, Parrot Analytics’ AI platform quantifies the value of content, talent, franchises and sports rights - enabling partners to forecast revenue, assess risk, optimize portfolio strategy and deliver predictable success. For Parrot Analytics, contact: Samuel Stadler samuel@parrotanalytics.com
Rocket Lab now plans to scale Mynaric production capacity, making industry-leading satellite laser communication technology available at the volume and speed demanded by commercial and government satellite customers across Europe, the United States, and rest of world LONG BEACH, Calif., April 14, 2026 - Rocket Lab Corporation (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the Company”), a global leader in launch services and space systems, today announced it has completed the acquisition of Mynaric AG (“Mynaric”), a leading provider of laser optical communications terminals for air, space, and mobile applications. Rocket Lab paid an aggregate consideration value of $155.3 million consisting of a nominal cash payment and 2,277,002 shares of Rocket Lab’s Common Stock. The acquisition further strengthens Rocket Lab’s extensive capabilities as a leading launch provider, spacecraft manufacturer, and supplier of satellite components at scale to the global space market. “Laser communication is a key enabler for satellite constellations, but it has long been a supply chain pain point for commercial and government constellation operators. High-performing and cost-effective products simply have not been available in high volumes. That changes today with Mynaric now officially part of Rocket Lab,” said Sir Peter Beck, founder and CEO of Rocket Lab. “We have a strong track record of unlocking satellite subsystem bottlenecks, making industry-leading technology affordable and available at scale. We look forward to joining forces with the Mynaric team to do the same for laser communications.” The completion of the transaction comes after successful review and approval by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. Mynaric will continue to be headquartered in Munich, Germany, establishing Rocket Lab’s first European footprint and enabling the Company to expand its ability to support German and broader European space programs. An important driving factor behind the acquisition decision was Rocket Lab’s extensive insight into the Mynaric team and technology, thanks to Mynaric providing CONDOR Mk3 optical communication terminals for Rocket Lab's $1.3 billion prime contracts to produce 36 satellites for the Space Development Agency (SDA) Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture. This relationship gave Rocket Lab a high degree of confidence in the Mynaric team and technology, while also giving the Company insight into how the products could be scaled and efficiencies achieved to meet rapidly growing customer demand. Mynaric is also a supplier to other SDA contracts, and Mynaric and Rocket Lab share many customers spanning commercial constellation operators, satellite prime contractors, and defense and civil government agencies. + Media Inquiries Morgan Connaughton media@rocketlabusa.com + Investor Inquiries investors@rocketlabusa.com + About Rocket Lab About Rocket Lab Rocket Lab is a leading space company that provides launch services, spacecraft, payloads and satellite components serving commercial, government, and national security markets. Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket is the world’s most frequently launched orbital small rocket; its HASTE rocket provides hypersonic test launch capability for the U.S. government and allied nations; and its Neutron launch vehicle in development will unlock medium launch for constellation deployment, national security and exploration missions. Rocket Lab’s spacecraft and satellite components have enabled more than 1,700 missions spanning commercial, defense and national security missions including GPS, constellations, and exploration missions to the Moon, Mars, and Venus. Rocket Lab is a publicly listed company on the Nasdaq stock exchange (RKLB). Learn more at www.rocketlabcorp.com. Forward Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). All statements contained in this press release other than statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, statements regarding our launch and space systems operations, launch schedule and window, safe and repeatable access to space, Neutron development, operational expansion and business strategy, are forward-looking statements. The words “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “potential,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “strategy,” “future,” “could,” “would,” “project,” “plan,” “target,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, though not all forward-looking statements use these words or expressions. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including but not limited to the factors, risks and uncertainties included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, as such factors may be updated from time to time in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), accessible on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and the Investor Relations section of our website at https://investors.rocketlabcorp.com which could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this press release. Any such forward-looking statements represent management’s estimates as of the date of this press release. While we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change.
Maxigesic Rapid in the US (marketed as Combogesic Rapid) is now set to be distributed through Cost Plus, the public benefit organisation founded in 2022 with the backing of the US billionaire and Shark Tank star Mark Cuban. Cost Plus was established to lower the distribution costs of medicine. Since its founding in 2022 it has grown rapidly and now stocks more than 2,300 commonly prescribed medicines. It distributes these medicines, online and through affiliated pharmacies at cost plus a 15% markup2 and its reach extends to all 50 US states. AFT is now concentrating on this channel to market Maxigesic Rapid for the main markets in the US, while Alexso will continue to distribute the medicine for the market segments of its distribution arrangements we disclosed in 2024 and Hikma will continue to distribute the intravenous form of the medicine. Finally, AFT continues to expand its portfolio of medicines in this market including our Liposachet range, Kiwisoothe, and Optisoothe range. These medicines are available through Amazon presently with other channels currently under negotiation.
Source: https://investors.aftpharm.com/
The Minister was invited to visit Washington DC this week by US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio. They met on Tuesday morning (US time), and discussed:
- US/NZ bilateral relations. The Secretary and the Minister traversed the warm, wide-ranging, and longstanding relationship between New Zealand and the United States - including on defence & security and trade & economic matters. They discussed the ongoing conversations led by our Trade Ministers on the issue of tariffs as well as the ongoing dialogue between our two governments on critical minerals cooperation.
- The conflict in the Middle East. Secretary Rubio outlined US progress towards ending the war. Minister Peters outlined the significant negative economic impacts on New Zealand, and our Pacific neighbours, arising from the war - and New Zealand’s desire to see dialogue and de-escalation. Given the impacts on the Indo-Pacific of Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Minister Peters and Secretary Rubio stressed the crucial importance countries around the world attach to international law as it applies to freedom of navigation. - The Pacific Islands region. The Minister outlined New Zealand’s aspiration as host of next year’s Pacific Islands Forum, invited Secretary Rubio to attend, and encouraged the United States to continue to play a fulsome role in the region in close cooperation with New Zealand and Australia. Secretary Rubio and Minister Peters discussed priority matters in the Pacific, including energy supply chain issues and transnational organised crime. - The Indo-Pacific. The Minister and the Secretary discussed the shared strategic interests of New Zealand and the United States in the Indo-Pacific region, as two Pacific democracies.
Source: https://x.com/NewZealandMFA
Investment strengthens PartsTrader’s open procurement platform across the collision repair ecosystem SAN DIEGO – April 1, 2026 – Enlyte, a leader in technology, networks and services for the property and casualty industry, announced today it has completed its acquisition of PartsTrader, a leading parts procurement marketplace for auto insurers and collision repairers. The acquisition unites two complementary businesses within Enlyte’s Auto Physical Damage portfolio. PartsTrader will be a wholly owned subsidiary of Enlyte and continue to operate as an independent entity alongside Mitchell’s Auto Physical Damage division. Both organizations will maintain their distinct identities while benefiting from the collective strength of the Enlyte portfolio. “Today Enlyte takes a major step in our ongoing commitment to provide the auto physical damage claims and collision repair industries with comprehensive, innovative solutions designed to improve outcomes,” said Alex Sun, CEO of Enlyte. “This acquisition represents a strategic investment, unlocking long-term value for our customers by helping them enhance efficiency, expand workflow enablement and enjoy customer-controlled data usage across ecosystems.” Based in Chicago and Wellington, New Zealand, PartsTrader provides an efficient, market-driven parts procurement platform allowing collision repair facilities, parts suppliers and insurance carriers to make more accurate decisions regarding part-type, price and availability. Under Enlyte, it will continue to maintain full connectivity with all information providers, estimating systems, suppliers and partners while also collaborating with Mitchell to deliver even greater customer impact. Mark Lindner will lead the PartsTrader team as Executive Vice President and General Manager, reporting to Sun. Steve Messenger will retire as PartsTrader CEO. “PartsTrader has been long committed to providing measurable outcomes for repairers, insurers and suppliers,” said Lindner. “We look forward to working with Enlyte in shaping the future of collision repair together.” Raymond James & Associates and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC served as financial advisors to Enlyte, and Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Quigg Partners served as legal counsel. The financial terms of the transaction are not being disclosed. About Enlyte Enlyte is a P&C industry leader providing claims technology innovations and connectivity solutions, specialty networks, case management, pharmacy benefit and disability management services. Serving over 2,000 entities, including a majority of Fortune 500 employers, Enlyte leverages its portfolio of solutions to simplify processes and improve outcomes for auto, workers’ compensation and disability claims. About Mitchell Mitchell International Inc. is a leader in the development of innovative auto physical damage technology solutions. Combining decades of experience with an open platform, proprietary data and intelligent, cloud-first applications, we help insurance carriers, collision repairers and vehicle manufacturers protect dreams and restore lives. Each day, more than 20,000 organizations turn to Mitchell for support efficiently managing claims and safely returning consumers to the road. For more information, follow Mitchell on Facebook or LinkedIn. About PartsTrader As the world’s leading parts procurement marketplace, PartsTrader brings together repair shops, parts suppliers, and insurance carriers on one efficient, market-driven platform. PartsTrader helps repair shops make more accurate decisions regarding part-type, price, and availability. Suppliers can quickly grow their market presence and instantly reach thousands of new shops while improving the way they serve their current customers. Insurance carriers gain transparency into the parts procurement process and access to valuable market data, allowing them to increase accuracy and efficiency on every claim. PartsTrader LLC, based in Chicago, is privately held.
Source: https://www.partstrader.com/
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Washington D.C. this week. “The current global context is the most challenging New Zealand has faced in the past 80 years,” Mr Peters says. “In times as complex as these, we highly value opportunities to meet face to face.” While in Washington, Mr Peters will meet with Secretary of State Marco Rubio among others. “We intend to discuss our shared commitments to cooperate in the Pacific and Indo-Pacific, as well as significant international developments – particularly the conflict in the Middle East and its impacts on our region.” “These meetings will advance New Zealand’s diplomatic, security and economic interests and facilitate greater mutual understanding of our respective priorities.” Mr Peters leaves New Zealand later today (6 April) and returns on Friday (10 April).
Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/
The White House marked the first anniversary of its April 2, 2025, “Liberation Day” tariff announcements by introducing new Section 232 tariffs on patented pharmaceuticals and associated inputs—with exceptions for specific firms and countries—and changes to the Section 232 derivative tariffs on steel, aluminum, and copper that will raise costs for some firms but lower them for some.
Tariffs on Medicines: As outlined in an April 2 fact sheet and proclamation, the new Section 232 tariff will be set at 100% for patented pharmaceuticals and associated pharmaceutical ingredients, entering into effect “in 120 days for certain large companies, and 180 days for smaller companies.” However, a range of exceptions and qualifiers apply: No Duties for Dealmakers: The fact sheet notes that for “companies that enter into Most Favored Nation (MFN) pricing agreements with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and onshoring agreements with the Department of Commerce, a 0% tariff will apply through January 20, 2029.” The administration indicates it may waive tariffs for companies engaging in good faith negotiations toward these two classes of agreements. Companies that only enter into onshoring agreements will face a 20% tariff. Country Deals, Too: A reduced tariff rate of 15% will apply for products imported from the European Union, Japan, Korea, or Switzerland and Liechtenstein; a separate agreement reached this week with the UK appears to offer duty-free treatment. Exceptions Listed: Many medicines will be spared new tariffs, including generics, biosimilars, orphan drugs, nuclear medicines, plasma derived therapies, fertility treatments, cell and gene therapies, pharmaceuticals for animal health, and others. Emphasis on the Carveouts: Recognizing the risk that tariffs will drive up medicine costs for American consumers, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told the press: “It’s less what’s the tariff level and it’s more all of the actual deals we’ve been making with countries and companies to make sure that the supply chains are secure and we’re making them here in America.” Tariffs on Metals: As outlined in an April 2 fact sheet and proclamation, the existing 50% tariff on steel, aluminum, and copper will remain while changes are introduced in the treatment of derivatives—that is, manufactured goods that contain these metals (listed in Annex I of the proclamation). The move is expected to raise tariff costs for some firms and reduce them for others. Three Tiers: Going forward, the 50% rate will apply for derivatives that are entirely or almost entirely made of these three metals; a 25% rate will apply for derivatives where these metals represent more than 15% by weight; and no tariff will apply for products whose metals content is below that 15% weight threshold.
Rate Down, Bills Up? While the tariff on many derivatives will be reduced from 50% to 25%, it will now apply to the full value of the product rather than solely the metal content. While simplifying an onerous and ill-explained compliance task, many companies expect this change will raise their tariff bills. Industrial, Electrical Equipment: In what appears to be an expansion in scope, industrial equipment, robots, and electrical equipment will now pay a 15% tariff through 2027 (rising to 25% in 2028) “to accelerate the massive industrial base buildout currently underway across the United States,” according to the fact sheet. This marks a significant and potentially painful development for U.S. manufacturing and badly needed investments in U.S. electricity production. Inclusions Process Scrapped: Offering possible relief from future tariffs, the proclamation terminates the “inclusions process” for steel, aluminum, and copper derivatives, marking a win for the U.S. Chamber and its members, who have advocated for this change and others for months. While the proclamation authorizes USTR and Commerce to include additional derivatives on a rolling basis, pressure from industry and from foreign governments appears to have tamped down interest in continual expansion of the universe of tariffed goods. And Some Carveouts: As noted, the Section 232 metals tariffs no longer apply to products for which steel, aluminum, and copper constitute less than 15% of their value. This de minimis exception may represent relief for a fairly large range of products. In addition, an esoteric list of goods now excluded entirely from the Section 232 duties appears in Annex II, including milk and cream products, shampoo, helium, bakeware, and parts for cribs.
Sourece: www.uschamber.com
IEEPA Tariff Refund System Takes Shape (Updated)
Since the Supreme Court invalidated the tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) on February 20, the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) has been engaging on a weekly basis with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to expedite refunds. In early March, CBP shared its plans for an expedited and simplified tariff refund system over the past week. The U.S. Chamber welcomed the initial CBP proposal, and the agency indicated it will be able to launch the system within 45 days (by about April 20).
Big Numbers: More than 330,000 companies paid a total of approximately $166 billion in IEEPA duties that must be refunded. The system proposed by CBP will refund these duties to importers through CBP’s Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) system, which is well known to importers. CBP told the CIT on March 6 that it “is confident that it can develop and implement new ACE functionality that will streamline and consolidate refunds and interest payments on an importer basis, rather than issuing 53,173,939 separate entry-specific refunds with multiple payments going to the same importer.”
CAPE of Good Hope: In a declaration filed with CIT, CBP explained that it is developing the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE) system to refund duties imposed under IEEPA. This new ACE functionality will have four integrated components:
As of the end of March, most but not all elements have been constructed and are in testing.
Interest Where Due: U.S. law requires payment of interest, which is accrued from the date the importer of record deposits estimated duties until the date of liquidation or reliquidation, for the invalidated tariffs. The interest rate is 6% at present. CIT has noted that “interest is accumulating every day, with approximately $650 million accruing per month,” a fact that hopefully will incentivize expeditious refunds.
Refunds for All Entries: A large majority of IEEPA-tariffed entries have not been liquidated, and issuance of refunds for these should be relatively simple. CIT on March 27 broadened its IEEPA tariff refund order to include finally liquidated entries. On March 27, CIT’s Judge Richard Eaton said “[a]ny liquidated entries for which liquidation is final shall be reliquidated without regard to the IEEPA duties.” This expanded order removes an ambiguity in CBP’s plans that had persisted previously.
One Thing to Do Now: One essential and practical step importers should do now in anticipation of tariff refunds is sign up for Automated Clearinghouse (ACH) Refund, which reportedly only 10% or so of affected firms have done. CBP requires ACH enrollment to receive duty refunds electronically. After enrolling for ACH refunds, any refund you receive will automatically be deposited directly into your bank account. Companies may wish to consult with their customs broker or trade counsel.
Source: www.uschamber.com.
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