On December 9, representatives of the House of Representatives and Senate announced a final bipartisan, bicameral Conference Report on the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 to modernize U.S. customs procedures.  The text and a summary of the Conference Report are viewable on Congressional websites.

eBay supports this legislation to reduce trade barriers and remove procedural red tape for technology-enabled small businesses. Over 90% of U.S. businesses using eBay export to foreign countries and 80% of these small businesses reach five or more countries. Comparable data indicates that less than 5% of U.S. small businesses export. 

Streamlining customs procedures and modernizing trade policy enables entrepreneurs to access the global marketplace. Specifically, this bill will boost the threshold under which buyers and sellers submit paperwork and pay duties on low-value shipments to the US from $200 to $800, while also encouraging trading partner nations to do the same. In addition, the bill would allow U.S. sellers to accept retail returns, which is a key offering that appeals to overseas customers and increases buyer satisfaction. Currently, U.S. small businesses must pay duty when accepting a returned item from an international customer.

Altogether, the Customs Conference Committee Report improves the ability of small ecommerce businesses to grow and thrive by accessing customers overseas. The bill also sets an important precedent for international policymakers to open up their borders and increase the global market access for small eRetailers.

eBay strongly encourages Members of Congress to support the final customs package before the end of the year. Click here to learn more about how eBay small businesses are benefiting from global trade.