Trade Compliance

Our team helps clients integrate immediate- and long-term perspectives on international trade compliance, as we offer guidance on the interplay among laws that regulate international business. This integrated approach reflects our global practice and helps clients assure compliance in multiple jurisdictions.

Customs Compliance

We understand the unique customs concerns of manufacturers, distributors, exporters, importers and their agents across a wide spectrum of raw materials and finished goods, and a full range of customs issues in many countries. Our customs compliance services include:

• Advising on tariff classification, rules of origin, origin markings and customs valuation under the customs laws of the United States, the European Union and other countries
• Obtaining favorable tariff classification, origin and valuation rulings from national authorities and the WCO
• Litigating customs disputes before administrative panels and courts of law in the US, the EU and European member states
• Helping clients optimize global sourcing options by taking advantage of foreign trade zones, duty suspensions, bilateral and multilateral free trade agreements and other trade preference programs
• Assisting clients with customs audits, focused assessments, CT-PAT and other US and European customs initiatives
• Resolving exporters’ disputes with customs authorities, particularly in China, Southeast Asia and Latin America

Export Controls and Sanctions Programs

We help clients comply with US and EU restrictions on exports and re-exports of goods, software and technology. That includes commercial, dual-use and military controls, controls on "deemed exports," and restrictions on dealings with embargoed and sanctioned countries and trading partners. Because we are in frequent contact with export control and embargo regulators, our team understands how agencies may interpret and enforce regulations in specific circumstances. Our work includes:

• Developing and implementing internal compliance programs to reduce the risk of export control and sanctions violations by establishing compliance policies, internal training programs, compliance certification instruments and internal auditor evaluations of export control and sanctions compliance measures
• Advising on particular export, re-export and investment transactions to ensure compliance with applicable controls and sanctions
• Filing and facilitating export license, commodity classification and embargo license applications
• Representing clients in regulatory proceedings and enforcement actions brought under voluntary disclosures to, and penalty actions by, such agencies as the US Department of Commerce, the US Department of State, the US Department of the Treasury and the European Commission
• Advising on mergers and acquisitions of companies engaged in export business or international projects by helping clients perform effective due diligence on the compliance history and internal compliance processes of target companies and integrating the acquired business into our clients’ compliance programs

Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and Anti-Corruption Laws

Mayer Brown's global trade and securities/regulatory enforcement lawyers collaborate to help clients (including both US and non-US issuers of securities in the United States) comply with the anti-bribery provisions and the accounting provisions of the FCPA. We also use our global presence to advise on compliance with the anti-corruption laws of other countries. That means such help as:

• Advising on the development, implementation and evaluation of corporate compliance programs to prevent violations and mitigate potential penalties if a violation occurs.
• Conducting FCPA compliance training for personnel around the world.
• Performing FCPA due diligence in mergers and acquisitions.
• Counseling on the FCPA compliance of foreign agents, consultants, representatives and joint venture partners.
• Conducting internal investigations of possible FCPA violations.
• Representing clients in FCPA enforcement proceedings

National Security Restrictions on Investment

We assist clients in the United States and other countries to deal with US national security restrictions on foreign acquisitions in the United States. Our lawyers understand the full range of these restrictions as they arise under the Exon-Florio Amendment of the Defense Production Act of 1950 and under the National Industrial Security Program of the US Department of Defense, which enables us to provide clients with assistance such as:

• Helping to assess whether prospective transactions raise national security issues
• Advising on how to structure transactions to mitigate national security concerns while achieving business objectives
• Implementing all phases of regulatory clearance under Exon-Florio review procedures: notifying the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (“CFIUS”); negotiating mitigation agreements to satisfy CFIUS concerns; preparing Special Security Agreements and related documents to meet the requirements of the National Industrial Security Program; and establishing compliance plans to govern classified facilities and technologies
• Helping to anticipate and address government relations and public relations issues that may complicate the successful completion of the regulatory review process