Knowledge Center
The Descartes CustomsInfo Knowledge Center includes curated articles, reports, and insights on the latest developments in the import compliance regulatory landscape.
Customs Enforcement in 2026: U.S. and EU Importer Risks
Learn how customs enforcement is evolving in the United States and European Union, and how stronger trade data, governance and automation can reduce importer risk.
How AI Is Reinventing FTA Qualification for Modern Supply Chains
Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) have long offered companies a powerful way to reduce duties, protect margins, and improve sourcing flexibility. But for many organizations, the reality of using FTAs looks very different.
The EU-Mercosur Agreement Is Now Operational. Is your Company Ready?
The EU-Mercosur Interim Trade Agreement is now operational, unlocking major commercial access across Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. But capitalizing on lower tariffs and new procurement markets requires more than reading the headlines.
Digital Product Passports: The Quiet Shift That Will Redefine Market Access in the EU
The EU’s Digital Product Passport (DPP) has been introduced under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR). It is often discussed as a sustainability and transparency initiative but the scale of the shift is rarely mentioned.
War, Tariffs, and Trade Disruption: Why FTZs Are Becoming a Supply Chain Lifeline
The last few years have changed the way many importers think about global trade. Previously predictable costs can now change overnight. With that in mind, more and more companies are looking at Foreign Trade Zones (FTZs) to manage duty costs and create more flexibility when sourcing.
The Tariff Enforcement Question That Cost $549 Million
Regulators are looking beyond what was declared on a customs entry and examining the business activity surrounding a transaction. This represents a meaningful change in trade enforcement.
Why Companies Still Leave Millions in Tariff Savings Untapped Through Free Trade Agreements
Most multinational organizations already operate across markets covered by multiple FTAs. Yet utilization remains inconsistent across industries and trade lanes despite the scale of potential duty savings available.
How U.S. Customs and DOJ Are Identifying High-Risk Importers for Tariff Enforcement
For importers, the most important question is no longer whether tariff enforcement is intensifying. It is how enforcement is actually happening.
EU–India Free Trade Agreement (2026): Strategic Implications for Trade Compliance, Supply Chains and Executive Leadership
European Union and India concluded negotiations on what is now the largest free trade agreement (FTA) ever agreed by either party.
How One FTZ Strategy Can Save Importers Millions in Fees
Across the industry, organizations are shifting away from reactive cost management toward structural duty optimization strategies, rethinking how goods enter, move through, and exit the United States. One strategy consistently rising to the top: Foreign Trade Zones (FTZs).