CBP Administrative Messages, Web Postings, Etc.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted a notice to its Web site announcing that the fourth tranche of the tariff-rate quota (TRQ) for specialty sugar over-subscribed at opening moment on June 7, 2006. The pro rata percentage is .5683 or 56.83%.
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1. 4th Specialty Sugar TRQ Over-Subscribed at Opening Moment on June 7
CBP states that to facilitate release of the entries HQ Quota will not allow the brokers to re-transmit amended entries. The brokers must submit corrected CF-7501s and the ports will be required to update the line information. Any additional lines must be added using the next line number in sequential order. HQ Quota will release the requested amount for each line based on the proration request submitted by the broker/importer.
According to CBP, the importer has the option to determine how their allocation will be distributed, i.e. more or less than the pro-rata amount (or none) on a given entry. The importer may also transfer their allotment to entries at another port. Any of these scenarios are acceptable, however no importer will be allowed to enter quantities in excess of the prorated amount properly presented at opening. (See ITT's Online Archives or 06/06/06 news, 06060630 for BP summary of CBP announcement of opening.)(QBT-06-529, dated 06/12/06, available at http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/import/textiles_and_quotas/qbts/qbt2006/06_529.ctt/06_529.doc.)
2. FDA Announces OASIS Downtime on Friday, June 16, 2006
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an ABI administrative message announcing that its Operational and Administrative System for Import Support (OASIS) is scheduled to be down for maintenance on Friday, June 16, 2006 between 6:00 a.m. (0600) EDT - 7:00 a.m. (0700) EDT. ABI transmissions received by FDA during that time will be queued and processed once maintenance is completed. Prior Notice (PN) confirmation numbers will not be transmitted back to filers during the downtime. If PN has not already been submitted, ABI filers may decide to wait out the downtime if they determine that timeliness of PN will not be adversely affected. Alternatively, filers may submit PN via the PN System Interface (PNSI) in which case the PN confirmation number must accompany the article of food (21 CFR 1.279(g)).
If PN is submitted through PNSI, FDA and CBP recommend that the submitter present the PNSI confirmation page, including the PN confirmation number and time stamp to CBP officers for cargo release.
If PN has already been submitted via ABI prior to the OASIS outage and confirmation has already been received, no further action is required. If PN has already been submitted via ABI and confirmation has not been received prior to the OASIS outage, FDA and CBP recommend that, rather than resubmitting via PNSI, submitters should provide to CBP Officers, at the time of cargo release, an endorsed (signed) copy of the ABI transmission or some other evidence adequate to show that PN has been submitted via ABI.
FDA notes that during the downtime periods FDA and CBP will be operating using contingency plan - scenario 2. FDA states that questions should be directed to its PN Center at (866) 521-2297. (Adm: 06-0689, dated 06/15/06, available at http://www.brokerpower.com/cgi-bin/adminsearch/admmsg.view.pl?article=2006/2006-0689.ADM.)