Summary of Current and Future Benefits FTZ Board Receives from ACE
Recently posted to the International Trade Data System Web site is a notice summarizing the current and future benefits that the Foreign Trade Zones Board receives from the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE).
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FTZB Currently Uses ACE to Enhance Information Sharing
The FTZB, which has been actively involved in the ACE/ITDS program (as a Participating Government Agency (PGA)), focuses on enhanced information sharing between government and the trade community.
According to the ITDS, the FTZB currently uses ACE to:
create and maintain zone reference data such as validating zone account information;
maintain FTZ zone and subzone authorization and reference information;
process ad hoc and routine queries and reports;
provide access to FTZ cargo admission and disposition documentation including the CBP-214 "Application for Foreign-Trade Zone Admission And/Or Status Designation," cargo entries, entry summaries, in-transit documentation and export documentation;
provide access to certain broker, carrier, and importer data1; and
automate parts of the zone approval process to include circulation of zone application material among the FTZB, CBP affected port(s) and CBP headquarters.
Once ACE is Completed, FTZB Will be Able to Better Track and Monitor Zones, Etc.
Once completed, the FTZ account structure will allow the FTZB to input each general-purpose zone into the system, reducing the burden on CBP as they activate zone sites and improving the ability of CBP and the FTZB to track and monitor zone sites.
1The ITDS notice states that ACE provides access to broker, carrier, exporter and importer accounts. However, ITDS sources clarify that ACE provides certain data to the FTZB on brokers, carriers, and importers (not exporters). Sources expect to issue a new notice on the FTZB benefits soon.
(See ITT's Online Archives or 11/27/07 news, 07112715, for BP summary on CBP information on FTZ operator ACE account type as created by ESAR A1.
See ITT's Online Archives or 06/11/08 news, 08061110, for BP summary of ACE account benefit fact sheets, including a fact sheet for FTZ operators.)
ITDS notice (dated February 2009) available at http://www.itds.gov/linkhandler/itds/news/ftzb_newsletter.ctt/ftzb_newsletter.pdf.