Kerim Allam

If a product has a great name that you think will help it sell in any country, you may use it as long as no one else currently owns the right to use the name of the product. If the product is branded, make sure that trademark issues don't run afoul of the law, in which prior use can outweigh filing first. For example, even if you file a trademark to use the name "Yummy Tummies" to describe the caramelized tripe you have been importing from Italy, you may be forced to discontinue using the name if another firm can prove that it was openly using "Yummy Tummies" as the name for its novelty round-shaped candies. Use the services of an experienced intellectual property rights law firm to help you.

The USPPI is the person or legal entity in the United States that receives the primary benefit, monetary or otherwise, from the export transaction. Generally, that person or entity is the U.S. seller, manufacturer, order party, customs broker, or the foreign entity if in the United States when purchasing or obtaining the goods for export. In the AES, the USPPI ID Number is the USPPI’s Employer Identification Number (EIN). If a foreign entity meets the criteria to be the USPPI, the foreign entity is identified using their passport number, DUNS number, border crossing number, or any number assigned by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in lieu of an EIN. A social security number cannot be reported in the USPPI identification field.

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), foreign trade zones are the United States’ version of Free Trade Zones. A United States Foreign-Trade Zone is a secure, geographical area authorized by the federal government, where commercial merchandise, both domestic and foreign, receives the same treatment by US Customs as if it were outside the commerce of the United States. Many firms use FTZs to defer the payment of duties and taxes, and in the case of re-export of cargo, avoid the applicable duties and taxes all together as the merchandise was considered to have never entered the US consumption area. FTZs can be operated by both public and private entities.

The import documents required in Nigeria also depends up on the nature of goods importing (General goods, Personal effects, Dangerous goods, Livestock etc.) ,regular trade policy of Nigeria Government, specific goods importing to Nigeria (Arms and ammunition, health products, food products, chemicals etc.) To receive clearance for goods imported to Nigeria, traders must present a Bill of Lading, Commercial Invoice Exit Note, duly completed Form ‘M’, Packing list, Single Goods Declaration, and a Product Certificate. Until recently, the importer was also required to submit a Combined Certificate Value & Origin (CCVO) which contains the description of goods, port of destination, country of origin, date of shipment, country of supply etc. However, in line with international trading procedures and recommendations from stakeholders, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) reviewed its trade transactions guidelines and replaced the CCVO with the simpler Certificate of Origin. The revision also prescribes a 48-hour maximum processing time from the receipt of application.

India and Singapore maintain a good bilateral trade for many years. Agro and food ingredients are the main commodities which is exported from India. India holds the name as the largest rice supplier to Singapore. Basmati rice, non-basmati rice and idli rice are highly exported from India to Singapore. Every year, the country exports about 12 million tonnes of rice, including the premium basmati variety. Till the third quarter of FY20, the country had exported 6,398,275 tonnes of the commodity, as per data from Agricultural and Processed Food Product Export Development Authority (APEDA).