On August 23, 2016, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) published in the Federal Register a final rule [Docket No. USCBP-2016-0054; CBP Dec. 16-12] that amends CBP regulations to update the provisions relating to the prohibition on importation of jadeite or rubies mined or extracted from Burma, and articles of jewelry containing jadeite or rubies mined or extracted from Burma, following the expiration of the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003 (BFDA), as amended by the Tom Lantos Block Burmese JADE (Junta’s Anti-Democratic Efforts) Act of 2008. The CBP regulations are amended to reflect the import prohibitions set forth in Executive Order 13651 of August 6, 2013.
While E.O. 13651 reimposes the prohibition on the importation of jadeite and rubies mined or extracted from Burma and articles of jewelry containing such jadeite and rubies, it does not impose any conditions on the importation of jadeite and rubies mined or extracted from a country other than Burma or articles of jewelry containing jadeite or rubies mined or extracted from a country other than Burma as the BFDA, as amended by the JADE Act, did. Accordingly, CBP has amended section 12.151 by removing paragraphs (c) through (f) which detail the certification and recordkeeping requirements for non-Burmese covered articles (referred to in section 12.151 as “regulated articles”). It has also made conforming changes to other provisions and amended the (a)(1)(A) recordkeeping list to remove the records previously required to support the certification of non-Burmese covered articles under section 3A(c)(1) of the BFDA.
CBP advises parties who plan to temporarily export any jadeite or rubies or any article of jewelry containing jadeite or rubies, whether of Burmese origin or not, to register those articles prior to export through CBP Form 4455 (Certificate of Registration), CBP Form 4457 (Certificate of Registration for Personal Effects Taken Abroad), or a carnet issued by the U.S. Council for International Business. If one of these three documents is not presented to CBP at the time of re-importation into the United States, the importer must present documentary evidence that supports the claim that the subject articles were exported and reimported by the same person without having been advanced in value or improved in condition by any process or other means while outside the United States. Without such documentation, the articles are subject to seizure by CBP.
