# USA Intensify Scrutiny of Incorrect Country of Origin Declarations in Imports **Category:** Customs | **Source:** Frachtportal Redaktion | **Published:** 2026-08-17 | **Updated:** 2026-08-20 **Tags:** USA, China, Tansshipment, Warenursprung, Ursprungsnachweis, Zollbetrug, ZS-Zoll, Section 301, Schweiz, Logistik News, Transport News, Fracht News, Speditions News, Supply Chain News, Zoll News, Frachtportal News, Seefracht, Digitalisierung, Zoll > The USA is tightening controls on goods transiting through third countries. The focus is on false country-of-origin declarations and minimally processed Chinese goods. --- The USA wants to take stronger action against **falsely declared country of origin**. The focus is primarily on Chinese goods that first pass through a third country and are subsequently imported into the USA with a different origin declared. The problem is not the normal transshipment of a container. It becomes critical when goods are, for example, merely repackaged, relabeled, or minimally processed and then a new origin is declared. For an origin change, sufficient processing is fundamentally required – in US customs law, this is referred to as **substantial transformation**. The report names more than 40 countries and economic zones with elevated risk. These include Mexico, Canada, Vietnam, India, the EU, and Switzerland. However, this is **not a list of proven fraudsters**. Even the report itself acknowledges that not every conspicuous trade shift constitutes illegal transshipment. The US government speaks of potential customs losses in the billions. Reuters cites an estimate of approximately **19 to 26 billion US dollars per year**. These figures are model calculations and not definitively established customs losses. At the same time, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is expanding the use of AI and data analysis. Conspicuous routes, origin declarations, supply chains, and production capacities are to be compared automatically with one another. --- For freight forwarders and customs agents, this means above all: Do not simply blindly adopt the stated origin for USA shipments. Especially for goods with Chinese raw materials, it should be clearly documented where production actually took place and what processing occurred in the third country. Invoice and certificate of origin alone may be insufficient in the event of an inspection. Shippers should also question their suppliers more carefully if the same goods suddenly come from Vietnam, Mexico, or another third country instead of China. In short: With US imports, country of origin is increasingly becoming a compliance issue. Clean supplier and production documentation is becoming more important. --- The White House published the report on August 13, 2026. More than 40 countries and economic regions are associated with increased transshipment risk. China is the focus of the investigation. The EU and Switzerland are also mentioned in the report. Mere repackaging, relabeling, or minimal processing does not automatically qualify for a new country of origin. Reuters cites possible annual customs losses of $19 to $26 billion USD. These amounts are based on estimates and different calculation models. CBP is already using AI and machine learning for risk analysis and plans to further expand these systems. ## Related Entities ### Countries - [Austria](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/at) - [Belgium](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/be) - [Bulgaria](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/bg) - [Croatia](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/hr) - [Cyprus](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/cy) - [Czechia](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/cz) - [Denmark](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/dk) - [Estonia](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/ee) - [Finland](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/fi) - [France](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/fr) - [Germany](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/de) - [Greece](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/gr) - [Hungary](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/hu) - [Ireland](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/ie) - [Italy](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/it) - [Latvia](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/lv) - [Lithuania](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/lt) - [Luxembourg](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/lu) - [Malta](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/mt) - [Netherlands](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/nl) - [Poland](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/pl) - [Portugal](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/pt) - [Romania](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/ro) - [Slovakia](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/sk) - [Slovenia](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/si) - [Spain](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/es) - [Sweden](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/se) - [Switzerland](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/ch) - [Norway](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/no) - [Iceland](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/is) - [Liechtenstein](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/li) - [United States of America](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/us) - [China](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/cn) ### Glossary - [Container](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/container) - [Import](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/import-2) - [Supply chain](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/supply-chain-2) - [Supply Chain](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/supply-chain) - [Origin of goods](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/origin-of-goods) - [Goods](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/goods) - [Customs duty](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/customs-duty) - [Automated Customs Review](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/automated-customs-review) - [Origin traceability](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/origin-traceability) - [Customs origin claim](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/customs-origin-claim) - [Origin deviation](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/origin-deviation) - [Transshipment](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/transshipment) - [Section 301](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/section-301) - [Third Country](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/third-country) --- *Canonical URL: [https://www.freight-academy.com/en/news/usa-nehmen-falsche-ursprungsangaben-bei-importen-staerker-ins-visier-20260817185124](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/news/usa-nehmen-falsche-ursprungsangaben-bei-importen-staerker-ins-visier-20260817185124)* *Markdown mirror: [https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/news/en/usa-nehmen-falsche-ursprungsangaben-bei-importen-staerker-ins-visier-20260817185124](https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/news/en/usa-nehmen-falsche-ursprungsangaben-bei-importen-staerker-ins-visier-20260817185124)*