CBP CSMS Messages and Web Postings
CBP has posted to its Unified Business Resumption Messaging Web site messages providing a port status update in the wake of Hurricane Ike. The most recent message was issued at 5:30 p.m. EST on September 15, 2008. In addition, CBP issued an alert on Hurricane Ike port closures (as of 9:00 a.m. EST on September 16, 2008). According to the alert, the following ports are closed: Presidio, Houston Field Office, Area Port of Houston/Galveston Seaport, Service Port of Houston, Port Arthur, Beaumont, Point Comfort, and Freeport.
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1. CBP Provides Hurricane Ike Updates, Certain Ports Closed
CBP has also created the following Web pages "CBP Responds to Hurricane Ike," "CBP Responds to Hurricane Gustav," and "Latest Hurricane Information." In addition, CBP issued a news release on the resumption of operations at Houston's airport. CBP also posted news releases on bracing for Ike, supporting Ike rescue and recovery operations, and CBP continuing Ike response in the Houston area. (Web pages, documents hyperlinked)
2. 2008/2009 Tobacco TRQ Opened September 15, 2008
CBP has posted a notice announcing the September 15, 2008 opening of the TRQ on tobacco as provided for in HTS Chapter 24, Additional U.S. Note 5 for the period September 13, 2008 through September 12, 2009.
CBP's notice lists the relevant HTS Chapter 24 tariff numbers, as well the "low duty" TRQ limits for Argentina, Brazil, Chile, European Union Members, Guatemala, Malawi, Philippines, Thailand, Zimbabwe, and Other Countries or Areas (excluding Canada, Israel, and Mexico). CBP notes that it requires a certificate of origin for tobacco entered under this TRQ from Argentina. (See notice for additional details.) (QBT-08-522, posted 09/12/08, available at http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/trade/trade_programs/textiles_and_quotas/qbts/qbt2008/qbt_08_522.ctt/qbt_08_522.pdf)
3. CBP to Hold Telephone Training on New Ad Hoc Reporting Capabilities
CBP has issued a CSMS message announcing that it will hold telephone training on the new capabilities that became available with the deployment of Phase 2 of "ad hoc" capabilities as an enhancement to the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) reports.
Telephone training will be available to importers, brokers and truck carriers and will be held September 17 through October 2, 2008. Truck carrier reports training will be conducted in both English and Spanish. CBP has also posted a registration form for the telephone training (registration is required) and training schedule. (See ITT's Online Archives or 09/09/08 news, 08090910, for BP summary of Phase 2 being deployed.) (CSMS 08-000218, dated 09/15/08, available at http://apps.cbp.gov/csms/viewmssg.asp?Recid=17242&page=&srch_argv=08-000218&srchtype=all&btype=&sortby=&sby) (Registration form, posted 09/12/08, available at http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/trade/automated/modernization/ace_welcome/ace_reports/ad_hoc_report_reg.ctt/ad_hoc_report_reg.pdf; Schedule, posted 09/15/08, available at http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/trade/automated/modernization/ace_welcome/ace_reports/adhoc_telephone.ctt/adhoc_telephone.pdf)
4. Updated "ACE on the Road" Event Schedule
CBP has posted an updated version of its "ACE on the Road" event schedule, which includes the following events:
September 17, 2008 ACE Information Seminar in Jamaica, NY - conference flyerwas also posted. Free.
September 17 - October 2, 2008 ACE ad hoc report telephone training.
Topics for the seminar include the current status of ACE, future releases of ACE, ACE reports (demonstrations), etc.
(Schedule, dated 09/12/08, available at http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/trade/automated/modernization/ace_on_the_road.xml)
5. Summary of AESTIR Changes for September 30th
CBP has posted a summary of changes to the Automated Export System Trade Interface Requirements (AESTIR) to its Web site, indicating that Version 1.0 will be changed on September 30, 2008 as follows:
Part II - AES Record Formats - AES Transportation Data Transactions: Proprietary Record Formats
On page 26, revisions to the Marks and Numbers (D02) Record will be made. This record is mandatory. Along with Marks and Numbers this record is also used to report ITNs (Internal Transaction Numbers) and/or exemptions/exclusions.
X12 Formats
On Page 26 of 309 Customs and Border Protection - Manifest (Post Departure), N10 (Quantity and Description Record), N1003 Data Element will be revised to allow for the entry of ITNs/Exemptions/Exclusions along with Marks and Numbers. This data element will be made mandatory.
On Page 35 of 355 Customs and Border Protection - Acceptance/Rejection, N10 (Quantity and Description Record), N1003 Data Element will be revised to allow for the entry of ITNs/Exemptions/Exclusions along with Marks and Numbers. This data element will be made mandatory.
(CBP summary of changes available at http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/trade/automated/aes/tech_docs/aestir/june04_intro/june04_summary_of_chngs.ctt/june04_summary_of_chngs.doc)
6. CBP Issues Its ACE Trade Account Owner August 2008 Update
CBP has issued the August 2008 ACE Trade Account Owner monthly update as an attachment to a CSMS message. The update covers the following topics (which have been covered in previous editions of ITT): the delay of upcoming ACE releases, the change in password policy, the deployment of Phase 2 of ad hoc capabilities for ACE reports, first sale declaration requirements, entry requirements for certain softwood lumber products, etc. (August update available at http://apps.cbp.gov/csms/docs/17244_694908713/August08_TAOFinal2.pdf)
7. Weekly TRQ/TPL Commodity Report as of September 15, 2008
CBP has issued its weekly tariff rate quota and tariff preference level commodity report as of September 15, 2008. This report includes TRQs on various products such as beef, sugar, dairy products, peanuts, cotton, cocoa products, tobacco, certain BFTA, DR-CAFTA, Israel FTA, JFTA, MFTA, SFTA, UAFTA (AFTA) and UCFTA (Chile FTA) non-textile TRQs, etc. Each report also includes the AGOA, ATPDEA, BFTA, DR-CAFTA, CBTPA, Haitian HOPE, MFTA, NAFTA, SFTA, and UCFTA TPLs and TRQs for qualifying apparel and/or other textile articles, the TRQs on worsted wool fabrics, etc. (CBP's weekly TRQ/TPL commodity report available at http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/trade/trade_programs/textiles_and_quotas/commodity/)
8. Updated TRQ/TPL "Threshold to Fill" List
CBP has posted an updated version of its TRQ/TPL "threshold to fill" list, a quick reference to monitor tariff rate quotas and tariff preference levels that are approaching the restraint limit or have filled the in-quota (low duty) rate. The list is divided into two sections - quotas that are at least 85% filled and quotas that are closed. (List, posted 09/16/08, available at http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/trade/trade_programs/textiles_and_quotas/commodity/trq_thresh_fill.ctt/trq_thresh_fill.pdf)