CBP Officials Discuss C-TPAT for 3PLs and Exporters, Annual C-TPAT Conference

During the November 16, 2007 meeting of the Departmental Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Related Homeland Security Functions (COAC), CBP officials discussed, among other things, various issues related to the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism program, highlights of which are provided below. See future issues of ITT for additional details from this COAC meeting.

CBP Working to Expand C-TPAT to Third Party Logistics Providers

CBP officials noted that they have been engaged in discussions about expanding C-TPAT to include third party logistics providers (3PLs). According to CBP officials, the C-TPAT minimum security criteria for 3PLs are mostly ready and CBP is just trying to define out who would fit into the program.

CBP officials stated that they will be convening at the end of November 2007 to focus directly on the issue of expanding C-TPAT to 3PLs and hope to prepare a draft proposal for CBP leadership by early December 2007. CBP officials expect to seek input from COAC on the proposal by the end of 2007. According to CBP officials, the goal is to bring 3PLs into C-TPAT in 2008.

(See ITT's Online Archives or 05/17/07 news, 07051705, for BP summary of the May 15, 2007 COAC meeting at which CBP officials stated that they were considering expanding C-TPAT to 3PLs.)

CBP Wants Firmer Foundation on Mutual Recognition Before Considering Adding Exporters to C-TPAT

CBP was asked by certain COAC members to consider expanding the C-TPAT program to exporters as this could be a significant step towards mutual recognition with other national Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) programs.

(In June 2006, the World Customs Organization adopted guidelines for the AEO program as part of the Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade (SAFE Framework) which C-TPAT participants and industry sources have stated are similar to those of C-TPAT.)

CBP officials at the meeting responded by stating that once CBP begins to build a solid foundation in the area of mutual recognition (which is still in its "infancy" stage), it can then consider an expansion of the C-TPAT program to exporters.

CBP Expects to Meet Goal of 3,000 C-TPAT Validations in 2007

CBP officials stated that Supply Chain Security Specialists have conducted 2,334 C-TPAT validations so far in 2007 and project conducting another 670 by years end, meeting the target of 3,000 validations in 2007. According to CBP, 3,600 C-TPAT validations are expected to be conducted in 2008, and significantly more in 2009.

CBP officials noted that there are 7,774 certified C-TPAT partners and that 90% of the companies certified in the 2002-2006 period have been validated.

CBP states that it has suspended or removed 416 companies from the C-TPAT program, noting that approximately half of those removed were highway carriers.

According to CBP officials, C-TPAT Tier 3 status has been granted to 230 companies.

CBP officials also noted that they are currently in the process of staffing two new C-TPAT offices in Buffalo, NY and Houston, TX. (CBP has previously stated that the Buffalo office will focus on Canadian issues and the Houston office will focus on Mexican issues.)

(See ITT's Online Archives or 10/10/07 news, 07101005, for previous BP summary on CBP's plans to create new C-TPAT offices in Buffalo and Houston.)

Next Annual C-TPAT Conference Planned for February 26-29, 2008

CBP officials stated that the next annual conference for C-TPAT members will be held February 26-29, 2008 in New Orleans, LA.