U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a CSMS message announcing the issuance of Harmonized System Update 1108. This update contains 577 Automated Broker Interface (ABI) records and 118 harmonized tariff records.
The Trade Support Network has issued its November 2011 Monthly Committee Report, which states it has updated and resubmitted its request1 for U.S. Customs and Border Protection to add programming that allows non-ABI filers to generate post summary (pre-liquidation) amendments and corrections using the ACE Portal for entry summary data initially filed and accepted in the ACE Portal.
The National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America has issued a White Paper on the need for customs brokers to transition to ACE now, saying "it's necessary, it's desirable, and it's urgent." NCBFAA's Board believes that it is no longer a question of whether to migrate to ACE, but when, and states that it is not feasible to wait for ACE to be finished before attempting to use it, nor is it plausible to rely on it being abandoned. While much work remains to be done, CBP has recently begun to show good progress and has adopted essentially all of the recommendations for functional development outlined in the initial NCBFAA White Papers. It is time for the brokerage industry to support that development and accept the inevitable.
The State Department has issued a proposed rule to amend 22 CFR Parts 120, 122, 126, 127 and 129 of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations regarding the definitions of broker and brokering activity and related provisions. The proposed revisions are intended to clarify the scope of brokering activities, registration, prior approval and guidance, requirements and exemptions, reporting and recordkeeping, etc. The State Department is also proposing certain revisions to the DS-2032 form, the annual brokering report, and the brokering prior approval application.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has made all sections of the Automated Broker Interface (ABI) user requirements available for download. CBP has posted a .zip file that contains 76 documents for Appendices A through U, Air In-Bond, Bill of Lading, Border Cargo Release, Drawback, Entry Summary, Importer Security Filing, Etc. Download all sections of ABI user requirements here.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted its monthly Automated Commercial Environment Updates for December 2011. With this update, CBP lists new statistics on the growing number of ACE Secure Data Portal trade user accounts and the growing size of revenue collected via Periodic Monthly Statement (PMS). The number of approved entities authorized to file ACE entry summaries using the Automated Broker Interface (ABI) has also grown to 54 entities, with more than 710,959 ACE entry summaries having been filed since functionality was introduced in April 2009.
Cox Communications agreed to follow three cable peers and sell AWS spectrum licenses to Verizon Wireless. Also like the carrier is doing with Bright House Networks, Comcast and Time Warner Cable (CD Dec 5 p5), Verizon Wireless and Cox will promote and market each other’s service. The agreements take off the table another chunk of AWS spectrum and come at a per-MHz/POP price that appears lower than what Verizon Wireless agreed to pay the SpectrumCo members for their AWS licenses. Foes of industry consolidation said the deals are beginning to raise competition concerns.
This is a reminder that for continuous and single transaction bonds presented to U.S. Customs and Border Protection on or after January 1, 2012, only the new CBP Form 301 (with additional activity codes) and the new CBP Form 301A (addendum) with an expiration date of 03/31/2014 will be accepted. CBP will no longer accept the old 301 forms with an expiration date of 12/31/2010.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Agricultural Marketing Service officials state that the new fee for softwood lumber imports of $0.35 per thousand board feet will not be electronically collected by CBP using the Automated Broker Interface, as the agency has not programmed ABI for its collection. Instead, the fee, which affects imports on or after January 1, 2012, will be submitted by importers directly to the Softwood Lumber Board, on a quarterly basis. The Board is planning to issue instructions on the fee's quarterly submission in early January 2012.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted an updated version of its spreadsheet of ACE ESAR A2.2 (Initial Entry Types) programming issues.