The plateaued participation in the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) program has prevented it from reaching its full potential, leading some to question the viability of this program if CBP doesn't resolve these issues, said industry executives involved in the program. While the obstacles to participation vary for each company, there are several universal disincentives for both smaller and larger companies, said several C-TPAT consultants. Still, some remain optimistic about the future of C-TPAT as CBP adds new features and foreign recognition increases.
Thirty-five House lawmakers are on board with a bill introduced recently that would force non-resident foreign manufacturers to register agents in the U.S. to cover import liability. Those lawmakers, which are mostly Democrats, now co-sponsor the Foreign Manufacturers Legal Accountability Act of 2015, HR-3304 (here). Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-Pa., introduced the legislation on July 29 (see 1507290049). The bill now sits with the House Commerce, Ways and Means and Agriculture committees for consideration.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission will move forward with its “alpha pilot” to test electronic filing of compliance data during the CBP entry process, albeit under a modified format where only five data elements will be required instead of the ten elements originally contemplated. The commission voted on Aug. 12 to adopt an amendment offered by CPSC Chairman Elliot Kaye to cut the number of required data elements in response to concerns from industry, as well as approve a Federal Register notice for publication that will announce the pilot and request participants.
CBP will soon begin its pilot testing electronic filing of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration partner government agency (PGA) message set data in the Automated Commercial Environment, and is seeking participants from customs brokers and self-filing importers of motor vehicles and motor vehicle equipment, it said (here). Participants in the pilot will file data elements found in current paper form HS-7, with supporting documents such as the DOT conformance bond form (DOT HS-474) submitted electronically via a CBP-approved Electronic Data Interchange at any time prior to the arrival of the merchandise, said CBP. Brokers and self-filing importers that want to participate should email Clint Lindsay at Clint.Lindsay@dot.gov or Coleman Sachs at Coleman.Sachs@dot.gov, and should send a copy of that request also to their client representative at CBP’s ACE Business Office, said CBP.
Senate leaders agreed Wednesday to a deal to advance consideration of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act. The deal would allow consideration of 22 amendments to S-754 but delayed further votes on the bill until after the August recess. The deal, announced by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., also set up a Senate debate in September on the White House's nuclear deal with Iran. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain, R-Ariz., separately told reporters that making a deal on the Iran debate was crucial in final negotiations on the S-754 schedule. Senate Republicans will offer 10 amendments on S-754, while Senate Democrats will offer 11. The agreement on further S-754 debate followed contentious behind-the-scenes negotiations that appeared as late as Wednesday afternoon to be at a stalemate.
Senate leaders agreed Wednesday to a deal to advance consideration of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act. The deal would allow consideration of 22 amendments to S-754 but delayed further votes on the bill until after the August recess. The deal, announced by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., also set up a Senate debate in September on the White House's nuclear deal with Iran. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain, R-Ariz., separately told reporters that making a deal on the Iran debate was crucial in final negotiations on the S-754 schedule. Senate Republicans will offer 10 amendments on S-754, while Senate Democrats will offer 11. The agreement on further S-754 debate followed contentious behind-the-scenes negotiations that appeared as late as Wednesday afternoon to be at a stalemate.
International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for July 27-31 in case they were missed.
CBP posted information on the voluntary Broker Known Importer Program (BKIP) on its website (here). CBP recently began use of the program (see 1505140011), a National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America initiative. "With the BKIP indicator factoring into CBP's cargo risk segmentation, trade flows may benefit from improved information sharing at the time of arrival," said CBP.
The addition of house bill release capability to the Automated Commercial Environment would be a “fairly significant piece of programming” and CBP is considering temporary alternatives in the meantime, said CBP Assistant Commissioner Brenda Smith on July 29. CBP is looking for short-term fixes while it considers where development of the capability can be fit in “from a workload perspective,” she said at the Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations (COAC) meeting.
House and Senate trade leaders have made “significant progress” over recent weeks on Customs Reauthorization negotiations, said House Ways and Means Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., in a July 29 statement (here). “Work has taken place to resolve the differences between the two chambers’ bills,” said Ryan. “I expect this will allow us to move to a formal conference committee soon after Congress returns from this district work period.” Ryan’s comments echo those made by House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., at the outset of the week (see 1507280025). House lawmakers departed Capitol Hill on July 30 without formally launching legislative conference for Customs Reauthorization. The Senate did so in late June. Pre-conference negotiations have been underway to tackle the range of differences in the House and Senate bills, aides have said (see 1507160059). Lawmakers and trade associations, including the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America, recently outlined respective priorities for the final legislation (see 1507290016 and 1507290023).