Cindy Allen is watching the political scene carefully, knowing that the results of the US presidential election will impact the world — and the international trade sector is certainly no exception.
“The election landscape is rapidly changing, with nominees and platforms shifting weekly,” says Allen, CEO and managing director of Trade Force Multiplier LLC and a 35-year veteran of the international trade community. “What doesn’t seem to be changing is the shift from a post-WWII, free-trade approach to a more recent enforced fair-trade system. This has led to greater enforcement actions and a flurry of additional requirements for those involved, including automakers and their suppliers.”
Allen is presenting at AIAG’s North American Customs and Trade Town Hall scheduled for November 7, 2024, at Laurel Manor in Livonia, Michigan. She will be speaking on the 21st Century Customs Framework (21CCF) and Global Business Identifier (GBI) at AIAG’s first live customs town hall event in four years.
“This stance by lawmakers has influenced the proposals for the customs modernizations 21st Century Customs Framework and the several additional trade-related bills that have been proposed, which are heavily influenced by a desire to layer on restrictions and grant U.S. Customs and Border Protection additional enforcement capabilities,” she says.
“What seems to be missing,” Allen continues, “are many of the trade facilitation items that are important to compliant importers. Our discussion at AIAG’s North American Customs and Trade Town Hall will focus on the international trade arena that we work in, which is influenced by the political environment and the resulting proposed changes to the law. We will also explore some of the outcomes we can expect in the next few years.”
The North American Customs and Trade Town Hall is packed with a full day of sessions and networking. Significant early registration savings are available until October 7, 2024.
Attendees can earn 6 NCBFAA credits (National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of American) for participation in this event. A block of rooms is set aside at the Marriott Courtyard Livonia for $129 per night, but please don’t delay. The event includes lunch, a networking reception, and exhibit hall.
