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Customs Requirements and Documentation

Custom Requirements and Documentation: Country Commercial Guides 

Country Commercial Guides 

A great starting point to learn about Customs requirements is the Country Commercial Guide (CCG). Prepared by our U.S. Embassies abroad, CCGs provide information about:

  • Import Tariffs - average tariff rates for different types of goods, including in best prospect sectors. 
  • Import Requirements and Documentation – the requirements for the U.S. exporter and the foreign importer, or where to find them. 
  • Labeling and marking requirements – an overview of the different labeling and marking requirements, including any restrictive advertising or labeling practices, and where to get more information. You can also learn about any Packaging and Recycling Laws.
  • Special situations – when goods are temporarily imported, prohibited or restricted.
  • Customs authority contact information.
  • Standards – the general environment, authorities, standards and testing requirements, and publication of standards.                                                                         

For example, some countries may require a Certificate of Conformity, usually for certain kinds of manufactured goods. Exporters are required to have the product analyzed and tested by an authorized third party.

View the CCGs.

Agriculture-Specific Requirements and Certifications

Agricultural exports require a number of unique documents and certifications from both the U.S. and destination country. You can find more information about agricultural requirements at the Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA) website.

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Global Business Navigator Chatbot Beta

Welcome to the Global Business Navigator, an artificial intelligence (AI) Chatbot from the International Trade Administration (ITA). This tool, currently in beta version testing, is designed to provide general information on the exporting process and the resources available to assist new and experienced U.S. exporters. The Chatbot, developed using Microsoft’s Azure AI services, is trained on ITA’s export-related content and aims to quickly get users the information they need. The Chatbot is intended to make the benefits of exporting more accessible by understanding non-expert language, idiomatic expressions, and foreign languages.

Limitations

As a beta product, the Chatbot is currently being tested and its responses may occasionally produce inaccurate or incomplete information. The Chatbot is trained to decline out of scope or inappropriate requests. The Chatbot’s knowledge is limited to the public information on the Export Solutions web pages of Trade.gov, which covers a wide range of topics on exporting. While it cannot provide responses specific to a company’s product or a specific foreign market, its reference pages will guide you to other relevant government resources and market research. Always double-check the Chatbot’s responses using the provided references or by visiting the Export Solutions web pages on Trade.gov. Do not use its responses as legal or professional advice. Inaccurate advice from the Chatbot would not be a defense to violating any export rules or regulations.

Privacy

The Chatbot does not collect information about users and does not use the contents of users’ chat history to learn new information. All feedback is anonymous. Please do not enter personally identifiable information (PII), sensitive, or proprietary information into the Chatbot. Your conversations will not be connected to other interactions or accounts with ITA. Conversations with the Chatbot may be reviewed to help ITA improve the tool and address harmful, illegal, or otherwise inappropriate questions.

Translation

The Chatbot supports a wide range of languages. Because the Chatbot is trained in English and responses are translated, you should verify the translation. For example, the Chatbot may have difficulty with acronyms, abbreviations, and nuances in a language other than English.

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