U.S. Customs and Border Protection sources state that September 18th will be the last "print date" for paper courtesy notices of liquidation for importers of record whose entry summaries are filed in ABI. These entry summaries will have a September 30 liquidation date. For all entry summaries scheduled for liquidation after September 30, importers using agents to file in ABI must obtain their liquidation information from their ACE Portal Accounts or Customs broker.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a CSMS message announcing recent changes in Harmonized System Update 1105. This update contains 26,044 Automated Broker Interface records and 4,703 harmonized tariff records.
Sources at U.S Customs and Border Protection state that importers that get new importer of record (IOR) numbers (either for the first time, or replacing an old IOR)1 may get additional scrutiny from Customs officials.
On September 7, 2011, the Senate Appropriations Committee amended, approved, and reported the fiscal year 2012 Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill (H.R. 2017), which would provide $410 million more for CBP than was enacted in FY 2011, including funds for cargo scanning pilots. In its report, the Committee urges CBP to encourage or require brokers to develop “know your customer” programs, consider a U.S. agent requirement for foreign importers, etc.
19 CFR 103.31(d) allows an importer or consignee to request confidential treatment for its name and address in inward manifests, as well as the name and address of its shippers. Shippers are allowed to request confidential treatment for its name and address in outward manifests. Such certifications must be filed every two years to remain in place.
Officials at the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service have made available a “Lacey Act Updates” presentation, which provides an overview of the 2008 Lacey Act Amendments, and what the agency views as the challenges and common problems in completing the Lacey Declaration (PPQ 505) for imported plants and plant products.1
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted an updated version of its spreadsheet of ACE ESAR A2.2 (Initial Entry Types) programming issues.
On August 31, 2011, the Bureau of Industry and Security published a new set of “best practices,” developed in cooperation with U.S. industry to help guard against the diversion of dual-use items shipped to a transshipment "hub" or to any intermediate country before being shipped to the country of ultimate destination. Recommendations include using only those forwarders that have sound compliance programs and avoiding routed transactions for dual-use exports.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted input provided by licensed customs brokers (who do not work for brokerage companies) on the professionalism component of CBP's broker revision project, which was discussed at the August 18, 2011 COAC meeting. Among other things, commenters state that stricter rules to require work experience before sitting for the customs broker exam and for continuing education should be for permit holders, and separate from the changes planned for individual licensed brokers.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted an Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) user guide document providing step-by-step instructions for brokers and self-filers on creating and maintaining entry banks via the ACE Portal. CSMS Message #11-000208 providing this user guide is available here.