What is a Customs Broker?

A customs broker is a private individual, partnership, association or corporation licensed, regulated and empowered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to assist importers and exporters in meeting Federal requirements governing imports and exports.

Brokers submit necessary information and appropriate payments to CBP on behalf of their clients and charge them a fee for this service.

Customs Brokers/Freight Forwarders

http://www.business.com/directory/transportation_and_logistics/intermediaries/

*Importers shipping into Italy should consult the following Italian agencies for detailed information and guidance:

• Agricultural commodities (Animal and Plant products or commodities fOr Human Consumption) - Ministero Politiche Agricole e Forestali (Dept. ofAgriculture and Forestry Policies), Corpo Forestale della Stato (Forestry Police Dept.), Ministero della Sanita’ (Health dept)
• Alcoholic Beverages - Ministero delle Finanze ( Finance Dept.)
• Arms. Ammunition. Radioactive Materials - Ministero della Difesa (Defense Dept.), Ministero dell’Interno (Domestic Affairs Dept.)
• Consumer Products (Energv Conservation and Safety) - Ministero della Sanita’, Ministero dell’Industria e del Commercio
• Electronic Products - Ministero della Sanita’, Ministero dell’Industria e del Commercio
• Foods, Drugs, Cosmetics and Medical Device - Ministero della Sanita’, Customs Dept.
• Gold. Silver. Currencv, Stamps - Ministero del Tesoro, Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato
• Motor vehicles and boats - Ministero dell’Industria e del Commercio
• Pesticides, Toxic and Hazardous Substances - Ministero dell’Ambiente (Environment Dept.)
• Textile, Wool and Fur Products - Ministero del Commercio Estero
• Trademarks, Trade Names and Copyrights - Ministero del Commercio Estero, Customs Dept.
• Wildlite and Pets - Ministero della Sanita’, Ministero dell’Ambiente, Customs Dept, CFS
• Fine Arts Products - Ministero dei Beni Culturali, Customs Dept.

Import permits are required from Ministero del Commercio Estero for the following:

• Milk and Dairy products
• Cheese
• Fish
• Wheat, Barley and other grains
• Vegetables
• Steel
• Textiles and Clothing
• Livestock and animals parts
• Firearms, ammunitions and explosives
• Waste products
• Radioactive materials and nuclear reactors

Italy Import Prohibitions

• Atlantic red tuna fish (Thunnus Thynnus) originating from Belize, Panama, and Honduras
• Toys and games containing copper sulfate
• Items having a flexible metal blade entirely contained in a plastic, paper, or fabric sheath
• Illicit narcotics and drugs
• All forms of asbestos fibers
• L-trytophane and any items having L-trytophane as an ingredient
• Rubber erasers that are similar in appearance to food products that are easily ingested
• Medical thermometers containing mercury intended for human consumption
• Certain U.S. beef hormones
• Tobacco and manufactured tobacco substitutes

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¹FedEx Web Site, 2009
http://fedex.com/us/international/irc/profiles/irc_it_profiIe.html?gtmcc=us