Raymond Yang

Most IRS offices will issue the number by mail within two to three weeks after they receive your Form SS-4. If you can't wait that long, you can call the IRS and get a tax ID number assigned to you over the telephone. It helps to have a completed Form SS-4 in front of you, because the agent will ask you many of the same questions.

Below is a listing of general and specialized export service links.

• The Trade Compliance Center (TCC) of the International Trade Administration and the U.S. Commercial Service
  For more specialized assistance, please review the following agencies:
• U.S. Department of Agriculture(USDA) - Administers programs that support exports of agricultural products, including initiatives to combat unfair competition.
• Country Directories of International Contacts (CDIC) - Provides the names and contact information for importers, agents, trade associations, and government agencies on a country-by-country basis. Available on the NTDB.
• Customized Market Research (CMR) - Provides a research service to firms with specific information on marketing and conducting foreign business in order to determine marketability, key competitors, possible partners, etc.
• International Trade Administration (ITA) - Commerce Department office that specializes in the facilitation of trade by product or industrial sector.
• Market Access and Compliance (MAC) - MAC officers help U.S. businesses to overcome barriers to trade and investment.
  My Export.com is an exporter referral service that connects exporters to the global marketplace
• Small Business Administration (SBA) - Provides a full range of export assistance services to small businesses just entering the international export market.
• U.S. Trade and Development Agency (TDA) - Helps U.S. businesses obtain grants on a transaction-specific basis for foreign development projects.

Sight Letters of Credit indicate that the drafts drawn are due upon presentation of the shipping documents. ICC rules allow International Trade Finance and your company 7 business days to review the documents for discrepancies before accepting or rejecting the documents. Upon acceptance, International Trade Finance makes payment to the Letter of Credit beneficiary according to the instructions on the draft. If the documents are rejected, International Trade Finance advises the beneficiary’s bank of the rejection and waits for instructions on how to dispose of the documents. The goods cannot be released if the documents are rejected.Usance Letters of Credit allow a specified number of days from the Bill of Lading date or from the presentation of the documents, before the draft matures. Again, ICC rules allow International Trade Finance and your company 7 business days to review the documents for discrepancies before accepting or rejecting the documents. Upon acceptance, International Trade Finance advises the beneficiary’s bank of the maturity date and makes payment to the Letter of Credit beneficiary accordingly. If rejected, International Trade Finance advises the beneficiary’s bank of the rejection and waits for instructions on how to dispose of the documents. The goods cannot be released if the documents are rejected.

For food of animal origin – yes, in most cases.
For food of non-animal origin – not necessarily. In many cases, the exporting business must simply be known to the importer and accepted as a supplier of food into the EU.

For food containing plants or plant products covered by EU plant-health rules – no, but exporters must obtain a phytosanitary certificate issued by the national authorities in their country.

First, your country has to be approved to export fishery products to the EU. You can find a list of countries and the procedure on the Trade Helpdesk website.
Second, your processing plant or factory vessel needs an approval to export to the EU. See the approved establishments list.
Third, there are specific labelling rules for fishery products.