Picard Kentz & Rowe LLP

  • Home
  • People
  • Practice Areas
    • International Trade
    • International Investment and Project Development
    • International Disputes/Rights & Obligations of Sovereign States & Autonomous Regions
    • U.S. & International Regulation and Legislation
    • Board Advisory Work
  • Global Experience
  • News/Blog
  • Contact Us

July 18, 2013 by PKR

Afghanistan shuts border to US materiel over customs spat

The Washington Post reports that Afghan authorities have prevented US and NATO military shipments from crossing the country’s borders and demanded that the US pay $70 million in fines for failing to submit customs forms.

The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction warned in a letter to Congress last month that Afghan ministries were seeking to collect nearly $1 billion in business taxes and fines from U.S. contractors — an effort that some American officials see as a massive shakedown in one of the world’s most corrupt countries. U.S. funds intended to rebuild Afghanistan, inspector general John. F. Sopko said in his June 28 letter to lawmakers, are increasingly being used to “pay the cost of doing business in Afghanistan.”

Afghan officials dispute the charge. They say that U.S. contractors and government officials have flouted Afghan tax and customs regulations, citing operating agreements drafted shortly after the 2001 invasion. Those agreements gave the U.S. government vast leverage and protections.

Such disagreements are not new, but the Afghan government seems particularly resolute about enforcing its will this time around, as the US needs these land routes open in order to carry out its military draw-down on schedule.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Filed Under: International Disputes/Dimensions of Sovereignty Tagged With: Afghanistan

Contact

Picard Kentz & Rowe LLP
1750 K Street NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20006
Phone: +1 202 331 4040
Fax: +1 202 331 4011
info@pkrllp.com

Recent Posts

  • Uncollected Antidumping and Countervailing Duties Exceed $3 Billion in FY2017
  • Court of International Trade Rejects Importer’s Efforts to Collaterally Challenge Application of China Countrywide Antidumping Duty Rate

Sitemap

PKR LLP Sitemap

© Picard Kentz & Rowe LLP

The materials available at this web site are for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. If you have a particular problem or issue for which you require legal advice, you should consult an attorney. Use of and access to this Web site or any of the e-mail links contained within the site do not create an attorney-client relationship between Picard Kentz & Rowe LLP and the user or browser. The opinions expressed at or through this site are the opinions of the individual author and may not reflect the opinions of the firm or any individual attorney.