Nossaman LLP   Customs Law "Assists" - A Trap for the Unwary
By: F. Gordon Lee  Importers should beware that if you furnish
materials, components, machinery or even certain types of
engineering, development or art work to your overseas
manufacturer under most circumstances the costs of these
"assists" must be declared to Customs as part of the imported
merchandise's value for duty assessment purposes.  Importers
should pay close attention to their transactions and should take
steps to assure that they are familiar with Customs laws and
their obligations under those laws.  One particular area
warranting examination by importers is how their goods are
valued for duty assessment purposes.  Most experienced importers
are aware that the Customs laws of the United States provide for
a variety of ways to value imported merchandise.  Since Customs
duties are generally based on a percentage of the value of the
imported goods, the value assigned to the goods is just as
important as the tariff classification of the goo