CBP Issues C-TPAT Minimum Security Criteria, Implementation Plan for Mexican Long Haul Highway Carriers
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted its Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) minimum security criteria for Mexican long haul highway carriers (Mexican carriers). CBP has also posted an associated implementation plan.
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To be eligible for C-TPAT, the Mexican carrier must: (1) be an active long haul highway carrier in Mexico; (2) not cross the U.S. border1, but transport cargo destined to the U.S.; and (3) have an SCT number issued by the Mexican Department of Transportation.
C-TPAT Applications Expected to be Accepted Beginning August 22, 2007
While CBP's implementation plan states that the security criteria for Mexican carriers are effective as of August 6, 2007 and references existing C-TPAT Mexican carriers, CBP sources state that Mexican carriers are a new business sector for the C-TPAT program, and applications from Mexican carriers will be accepted beginning August 22, 2007.
Implementation Schedule for Minimum Security Criteria
CBP sources add that once the Mexican carriers are allowed to apply for C-TPAT membership, they must meet or exceed the minimum security criteria at the time of application. (Note that CBP's implementation plan indicates that Mexican carriers will have 120 days from August 6, 2007 to meet the minimum criteria.)
(Previously implemented C-TPAT security criteria and implementation plans have been issued for customs brokers, sea carriers, importers, highway carriers, foreign manufacturers, and rail carriers.)
1Note that U.S./Mexican carriers which can cross the U.S. border were eligible for C-TPAT benefits in 2006. (See ITT's Online Archives or 03/14/06 news, 06031405, for BP summary of CBP's C-TPAT criteria for these highway carriers.)
(See today's ITT, 07080910, for BP summary of the minimum security criteria, implementation plan for marine port authority and terminal operators. See future issue for details of the security criteria for Mexican carriers.
See ITT's Online Archives or 05/17/07 news, 07051705, for BP summary of the May 15, 2007 Departmental Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of Customs and Border Protection and Related Homeland Security Functions (COAC) meeting, during which CBP officials talked about expanding C-TPAT to Mexican long haul highway carriers and third party logistics providers (3PLs).)
C-TPAT Mexican carrier minimum security criteria and implementation plan (dated August 2007) available at http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/import/commercial_enforcement/ctpat/security_criteria/longhaul_imp.ctt/longhaul_imp.doc and http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/import/commercial_enforcement/ctpat/security_criteria/criteria_mexico.ctt/criteria_mexico.doc
C-TPAT minimum security criteria and implementation plans for all sectors available at http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/import/commercial_enforcement/ctpat/security_criteria/