The Fish and Wildlife Service will again postpone full implementation of its partner government agency (PGA) message set in ACE, Myra Reynolds of John S. James Co. said during a panel discussion May 3. Already the subject of several delays, the last until June (see 2102040031), the PGA message set is currently being used for about 40% of FWS-regulated entries, and FWS would like to get it “up and running,” Reynolds said during the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America annual conference. But while FWS had thought it would have a rulemaking required for implementation completed by June, it now appears that the notice won’t come out until early fall, meaning full implementation of the FWS message set would come in late fall 2021, Reynolds said.
India is now requiring first-time importers, exporters and customs brokers to officially verify their identities with the government, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council reported May 3. All traders and brokers must “complete the process of verification” within 30 days of “first “engaging in import/export activity,” HKTDC said, which likely includes providing customs authorities with bank statements, company incorporation documents and “other proofs of a satisfactory financial standing.” The country may fine traders who don’t comply and revoke their “specified customs benefits.”
The Agricultural Marketing Service has secured funding for its Section 8(e) partner government agency (PGA) message set for imports of specialty crops, and now awaits CBP programming before it can move forward with full implementation, said Brian Barber of Wilson International during a panel discussion at the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America annual conference May 3.
CBP has set a "very aggressive schedule" for moving ahead with a proposal to require 36 hours of continuing education for customs brokers every three-year period, said John Leonard, acting executive assistant commissioner for trade, while speaking remotely to the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America conference May 3. Some factors involved in the timing are out of CBP's control, but "we've got some very highly placed advocates within the Department of Homeland Security that are hopefully going to work their magic with the Office of Management and Budget," he said.
CBP's Automotive and Aerospace Center of Excellence and Expertise “continues to issue an inordinate number of informed compliance letters compared to the other Centers and in a manner inconsistent with CBP laws, regulations and policy,” the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America said in an April 27 letter to the agency. The NCBFAA previously mentioned the issue to the director of the Center, “but feel[s] it is necessary to seek additional improvement at the Headquarters level,” it said.
A recent survey of seafood importers found 58% have experienced processing delays since FDA launched its Artificial Intelligence Imported Seafood Pilot. Conducted by the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America, the survey found that 54% of responding seafood importers -- all NCBFAA members -- have not noticed increased inspections of their imported seafood because of the pilot. But 46% say they have. FDA began the second phase of its pilot in February, testing machine learning technologies as part of its screening processes for importing seafood (see 2102080051). The second phase will be running until July 31.
CBP is looking into making admissibility decisions earlier on for importers that give the agency more information about their supply chains, Garrett Wright, director of trade modernization at CBP, told an April 22 meeting of the Commerce Department's Advisory Committee on Supply Chain Competitiveness. The agency is looking at some broad changes to its processes as part of the CBP work on the 21st Century Customs Framework (see 2011120010). The effort's five main “bucket areas” include "updates that improve the timeliness and the quality of data that we receive or is made available to us so we can reengineer our entry processes so we are able to clear lawful trade more quickly,” he said.
Disagreement on enforcement through private lawsuits threatens to derail two state privacy bills. The Washington state legislature ends regular session Sunday, and the Florida legislature closes April 30. Each state’s House supported including a private right of action, while their Senates seek only attorney general enforcement. Either state could become the third to pass a comprehensive law, after California and Virginia.
Disagreement on enforcement through private lawsuits threatens to derail two state privacy bills. The Washington state legislature ends regular session Sunday, and the Florida legislature closes April 30. Each state’s House supported including a private right of action, while their Senates seek only attorney general enforcement. Either state could become the third to pass a comprehensive law, after California and Virginia.
Disagreement on enforcement through private lawsuits threatens to derail two state privacy bills. The Washington state legislature ends regular session Sunday, and the Florida legislature closes April 30. Each state’s House supported including a private right of action, while their Senates seek only attorney general enforcement. Either state could become the third to pass a comprehensive law, after California and Virginia.