The Canadian Food Inspection Agency will not "reduce the service hours for manually processing import declarations transmitted" through the legacy service options "at this time," the agency said in a March 29 notice to industry about integrated import declarations (IIDs). The decision follows industry concerns raised earlier this year, it said. The legacy service options, Other Government Departments (OGD) pre-arrival review system (PARS), or SO 463, and release on minimum documentation (RMD), or SO 471, were set for decommissioning on April 1, 2019, but CBSA said it will instead begin a phased approach on that date (see 1903280062).
The Express Association of America pointed to several specific regulatory changes it would like to see CBP make, in its follow-up comments on the agency's efforts to modernize the customs framework. The EAA comments are the only ones posted since CBP reopened the comment period (see 1903110039) following a March 1 meeting on the subject (see 1903040023). Among other things, EAA said the "current drawback regulations do not support the modern B2C/e-commerce environment."
The FTC’s upcoming study of ISP data collection practices is the right step (see 1903260072), lawmakers told us. Some want big tech companies also under the microscope. An FTC spokesperson confirmed the study is related to Chairman Joe Simons’ response to Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., (see 1903200073).
The FTC’s upcoming study of ISP data collection practices is the right step (see 1903260072), lawmakers told us. Some want big tech companies also under the microscope. An FTC spokesperson confirmed the study is related to Chairman Joe Simons’ response to Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., (see 1903200073).
The Canada Border Services Agency plans to again push back the sunset date for legacy release options as part of the Single Window Initiative and Integrated Import Declaration transition, a CBSA spokesman said by email on March 26. Other Government Departments (OGD) service options pre-arrival review system (PARS), or SO 463, and release on minimum documentation (RMD), or SO 471, were set for decommissioning on April 1, 2019, CBSA announced last year. CBSA recently told members of the trade that the sunset date for OGD PARS (SO 463) and OGD RMD (SO 471) will now be in October.
The regulatory and legal aspects of CBP's blockchain efforts will likely "ramp up" if the Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee recommends moving forward based on the results of the proof of concept testing, said Vincent Annunziato, director of CBP’s Business Transformation and Innovation Division (BTID). At that point, the Office of Regulations and Rulings would have to get involved by reviewing requirements that weren't necessary during the test, which simulated the NAFTA and CAFTA certificates of origin process, he said during a recent interview.
Importers can use the temporary import provisions with goods subject to Section 301 tariffs in order to pay the tariffs at current levels and avoid potential increases, CBP said in a Feb. 21 ruling, HQ H302203. Alex Romero of A.F. Romero & Co. Customs Brokers requested CBP's ruling on behalf Panacea Products Corp. Several of Panacea's products are subject to the third list of Section 301 tariffs, which were originally slated to increase from 10 percent to 25 percent on Jan. 1. That increase has since been delayed "until further notice" while the U.S. and China negotiate (see 1903010036).
If the United Kingdom crashes out of the European Union in 17 days, it has a plan on what its tariff schedule will be, but John Dickerman, head of the Washington office of the Confederation of British Industries, said that there's no answer on who will be ready to take the manifest information from exporters the day after Brexit. "That's a huge challenge," he said.
Some participants in Customs and Border Protection’s proof of concept (POC) for blockchain using North American Free Trade Agreement and Central America Free Trade Agreement certificates like the results. Some in the trade business say it complicated things (see 1903070014). There's consensus the POC showed the technology deserves further consideration, said Emily Beline, senior attorney at FedEx. The trade industry gave "universal support" for CBP to continue in the blockchain realm, she told a Georgetown University law school event Friday. Vincent Annunziato, director of CBP’s Business Transformation and Innovation Division, said uploading some forms makes it instantaneous to later review them: "If we put out a request" to Walmart, for example, and "Walmart sends us the information, guess who's notified? The government, the broker, Walmart, they're all notified." That’s better than a document that requires someone to "look at it," he said. "I don't have to look at anything when I have digital data." Blockchain should cut times the data needs to be re-entered, Annunziato said. The moderator, Barnes Richardson lawyer Lawrence Friedman, agreed with an audience member there's some concern "as I think about my clients" on the blockchain creating new requirements that aren’t legally mandated. CBP is still examining how to go forward when weighing the "efficiencies gained," Annunziato said. "There may be scenarios where what we can do is keep it in a situation where it's not required but it's optional if available." Data in the blockchain isn't necessarily better because it’s there, said Christine McDaniel, senior research fellow at George Mason University's Mercatus Center. "The integrity of the data is as strong as the weakest link of the participants."
Some participants in Customs and Border Protection’s proof of concept (POC) for blockchain using North American Free Trade Agreement and Central America Free Trade Agreement certificates like the results. Some in the trade business say it complicated things (see 1903070014). There's consensus the POC showed the technology deserves further consideration, said Emily Beline, senior attorney at FedEx. The trade industry gave "universal support" for CBP to continue in the blockchain realm, she told a Georgetown University law school event Friday. Vincent Annunziato, director of CBP’s Business Transformation and Innovation Division, said uploading some forms makes it instantaneous to later review them: "If we put out a request" to Walmart, for example, and "Walmart sends us the information, guess who's notified? The government, the broker, Walmart, they're all notified." That’s better than a document that requires someone to "look at it," he said. "I don't have to look at anything when I have digital data." Blockchain should cut times the data needs to be re-entered, Annunziato said. The moderator, Barnes Richardson lawyer Lawrence Friedman, agreed with an audience member there's some concern "as I think about my clients" on the blockchain creating new requirements that aren’t legally mandated. CBP is still examining how to go forward when weighing the "efficiencies gained," Annunziato said. "There may be scenarios where what we can do is keep it in a situation where it's not required but it's optional if available." Data in the blockchain isn't necessarily better because it’s there, said Christine McDaniel, senior research fellow at George Mason University's Mercatus Center. "The integrity of the data is as strong as the weakest link of the participants."