The National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA) conference had 542 attendees this year, up from 522 last year, according to the NCBFAA. This year's conference was at the Westin Diplomat in Hollywood, Fla., April 22-26.
Pascal Lamy, director-general of the World Trade Organization and chairman of the Trade Negotiations Committee, reported to the General Council May 1 on progress in the Doha Round, and in particular the work of negotiating groups, according to the WTO. Lamy said the situation had not evolved much since his last report, but that he has a sense that Members wish to explore any opportunities to gain the necessary traction and make tangible progress soon. Highlights of his reports on negotiating groups follow:
U.S. Customs and Border Protection released an April update for ACE Trade Account Owners. The update included reminders on the ongoing Document Imaging System (DIS) pilot and the Sept. 29, 2012, effective date for required use of ACE to file advance information for ocean and rail cargo to CBP.
On May 29, the optional import component of the web-based Public Health Information System (PHIS) will be partially operational, the Food Safety and Inspection Service said in a letter to importers dated April 18, 2012. On that date, in all U.S. official import inspection establishments handling imports of meat, poultry and egg products, PHIS will: (i) provide for a government-to-government electronic transmission of inspection certificate data as an alternative to the paper certification, beginning with Australia and New Zealand; and (ii) begin transfer of 10 data elements from U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) to FSIS.
Some Customs broker licenses were inadvertently revoked on November 18, 2011, said U.S. Customs and Border Protection in a notice a the Federal Register notice May 1, 2012.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection provided Colombia Free Trade Act system requirements in a CSMS message April 30, 2012.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection sent a reminder that on September 29, 2012, ACS/AMS EDI Ocean Manifest functionality will be transitioned to ACE as part of the ACE eManifest: Rail and Sea Deployment. When this transition takes place, filers will no longer be able transmit or receive data via ACS/AMS, said CBP. Programming changes to comply with the modified record formats must be made in order to continue filing manifests electronically pursuant to the Trade Act of 2002, it said.
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. -- The U.S. Customs and Border Protection Centers of Excellence and Expertise are game changers in the trade world and are deserving of additional funding from Congress, said Thomas Winkowski, acting deputy commissioner at CBP, speaking at the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America conference April 25. Winkowski was a last minute replacement for Acting Commissioner David Aguilar, who was scheduled to speak at the conference but was summoned to the White House, said Winkowski.
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. - The budget environment will force the move to Automated Commercial Environment whether industry feels completely ready or not, said CBP’s Executive Director of the ACE Business Office Cindy Allen, speaking at the National Association of Customs Brokers and Forwarders of America conference April 25. As previously announced, the funding may be used up by next year, forcing the agency to make difficult choices on continuing to use certain pre-departure information systems, she said.
The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) will be looking at three main issues in coming months, said Gerry Horner, Senior Trade and Industry Analyst in the Office of Technology Evaluation at BIS. Horner spoke at the Natinoal Customs Brokers and Forwards Association of America April 24, 2012. The first will be a review of the use of the destination control statement, said Horner. There have been challenges with its use for years and BIS will go out to look at bills of lading and airplane bills at random airports, he said. He noted the review won’t be for enforcement purposes but to see how it is used in order enhance it.