CBP Officials Discuss C-TPAT Mutual Recognition, U.S.-China Joint Validations, Etc. at May 2008 COAC Meeting
During the May 9, 2008 meeting of the Departmental Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Related Homeland Security Functions (COAC)1, CBP officials discussed a variety of issued related to the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) program, highlights of which include:
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C-TPAT Mutual Recognition Agreements
During a discussion of CBP's efforts to achieve mutual recognition between C-TPAT and other countries' supply chain security programs, CBP officials announced that they are "on track" to sign mutual recognition agreements with Canada and Jordan at the end of June 2008.
CBP officials also stated that they are working toward mutual recognition with Australia, Japan, Singapore, and the European Union. CBP has also opened a dialogue with Mexico.
C-TPAT Portal Changes
CBP officials stated that they will be making changes to the C-TPAT Participant Mandatory Security Link Internet Web Portal to enable C-TPAT members to indicate whether they would like to share their C-TPAT status with foreign governments with which CBP has signed a mutual recognition agreement.
Joint C-TPAT Validations with China
In March 2008, CBP announced a joint validation pilot with China. CBP officials stated that they worked with Chinese customs and identified three C-TPAT members for a joint validation. Those joint validations were completed, and CBP is now in the process of preparing their validation reports and deciding whether those companies can have their C-TPAT status elevated.
CBP officials noted that there will be a second round of joint validations later in summer 2008 and CBP is working on identifying the companies for the second round.
Communicating C-TPAT Benefits to Trade, Field
CBP officials noted that CBP has been working to develop a C-TPAT benefits brochure which will quantify C-TPAT benefits that are currently in place. CBP will make this brochure available to both C-TPAT members and non-members in order to demonstrate and establish the benefits of C-TPAT.
CBP officials also stated that they have recently re-issued guidance to the field about the C-TPAT program and its benefits.
C-TPAT Statistics
CBP officials provided the following statistics, as of April 17, 2008:
there are 8,322 certified C-TPAT partners
- 469 total validations have been conducted, of which 830 were re-validations
- C-TPAT members have achieved Tier 3 status
- C-TPAT members have been suspended or removed from the C-TPAT program for a failed validation or a security "incident." Half of those revoked/suspended were Mexican highway carriers.
1Formerly known as the "Commercial Operations Advisory Committee."
(See ITT's Online Archives or 07/16/07 news, 07071605, for BP summary of the signing by the U.S. and New Zealand of a Mutual Recognition Arrangement. See ITT's Online Archives or 02/27/08 news, 08022705, for BP summary of the discussion of mutual recognition by CBP officials at the February 2008 COAC meeting. See ITT's Online Archives or 03/28/08 news, 08032810, for BP summary on U.S.-Jordan efforts toward mutual recognition.
See ITT's Online Archives or 04/22/08 news, 08042210, for most recent BP summary on joint U.S.-China C-TPAT validations and the Third-Party Validation pilot in China.)