CBP Officials Discuss Mutual Recognition of C-TPAT and Similar Programs
During the August 7, 2008 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 a variety of issues related to Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT), including progress that has been made toward achieving mutual recognition between CBP's C-TPAT program and other countries' supply chain security programs.
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U.S. Has Signed MRAs with New Zealand, Canada and Jordan
CBP noted that, to date, the U.S. has signed mutual recognition arrangements (MRAs) with New Zealand, Canada, and Jordan.
(CBP officials explained that once a MRA is signed, the information exchange between the countries can begin and countries can start talking about end-to-end supply chain security.)
Japan Expected to be Next Country to Sign MRA
According to CBP, the U.S. and Japan have completed the first two stages of mutual recognition (a side-by-side comparison of the supply chain security programs and joint validations). The next step would be the signing of an U.S.-Japan MRA, which CBP hopes to sign by the end of 2008.
U.S. and EU May Sign MRA in 2009
CBP is continuing to work with the European Union on achieving mutual recognition between C-TPAT and the EU's Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) program. If it finds that C-TPAT and the EU's AEO program are compatible, the U.S. may sign an MRA with the EU in 2009.
(On January 1, 2008, the EU formally implemented its AEO program, which is the EU's response to the need to secure international supply chains, to the introduction of the U.S.' C-TPAT program, and to the development of the Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade (SAFE Framework) in the World Customs Organization (WCO).
In March 2008, the U.S. and EU announced that the adoption of the U.S.-EU Joint Customs Cooperation Committee Roadmap towards Mutual Recognition of Trade Partnership Programs.)
U.S. and Singapore Making Progress on Mutual Recognition
CBP officials noted that the U.S. and Singapore are also making progress toward mutual recognition and are currently in the first stage - the side-by-side comparison of their respective supply chain security programs.
C-TPAT Members Can "Share" Their C-TPAT Status with MRA Countries
CBP has made changes in the C-TPAT Participant Mandatory Security Link Web Portal to enable C-TPAT members to indicate whether they want to share their C-TPAT status with the foreign governments with which CBP has signed a MRA (i.e., New Zealand, Canada, and Jordan).
(See ITT's Online Archives or 07/16/07 news, 07071615, for BP summary of the signing of the U.S.-New Zealand MRA.
See ITT's Online Archives or 07/02/08 news, 08070215, for BP summary of the U.S. and Canada signing a MRA between C-TPAT and Canada's Partners in Protection (PIP) program.
See ITT's Online Archives or 07/01/08 news, 08070110, for BP summary of U.S. and Jordan signing a MRA for Jordan's Golden List Program (GLP) and C-TPAT.
See ITT's Online Archives or 04/17/08 news, 08041710, for BP summary of CBP testifying on C-TPAT mutual recognition, etc.
See ITT's Online Archives or 02/27/08 news, 08022705, for BP summary of CBP officials discussing mutual recognition at the February 2008 COAC meeting, including a list of potential mutual recognition countries and their mutual recognition progress status.
See ITT's Online Archives or 05/20/08 news, 08052005, for BP summary of CBP officials discussing mutual recognition, etc. at the May 2008 COAC meeting.)