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The Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations (COAC) for CBP will next meet Oct. 7 at 1 p.m. in Washington, CBP said in a notice.
The other government agencies involved in the completion of the International Trade Data System have become increasingly engaged in that work following the February Executive Order on ITDS, said Carol Cave, director of Import Surveillance, Consumer Product Safety Commission. Cave and other agency officials discussed the progress on Sept. 15 during the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America Government Affairs Conference. "There is a major shift going on with [the Border Interagency Executive Council]" as the government works to finish the system by 2016, as required in the Executive Order (see 14021928). For example, there's been a lot more coordination in looking at which agencies collect the same information that the CPSC also requires, said Cave.
CBP is undergoing its "own version of a corporate reorganization" as the agency continues work to increase the role of the Centers of Excellence and Expertise, said Deputy Commissioner Kevin McAleenan , who spoke during the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America Government Affairs Conference on Sept. 16. The agency is aligning its staff with how industry is set up, he said. That includes adjustments to the agency's field operations, the Office of Trade and legal counsel, all of which is helping CBP develop a better "compliance and security posture," said McAleenan.
Mobile financial systems present privacy and security concerns for consumers and raise the risk of data brokers gaining consumer information without explicit consent, commented the FTC Thursday to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (http://1.usa.gov/1tHQPkH). It acknowledged that “mobile technologies provide consumers with unprecedented efficiency and convenience to conduct financial transactions.” The comments responded to a CFPB request for information this summer. The FTC mentioned mobile banking and location-based discounts as several perks to mobile finance: “Some mobile technologies, such as mobile carrier billing, may be especially beneficial for unbanked and underbanked consumers.” But with the benefits come risks, the FTC said. “Consumers using mobile financial services may be at risk for liability for unauthorized charges or unfair billing, as well as the increased collection, use, and sharing of consumers’ personal and financial data,” the FTC said. “These issues may raise particular concerns for the underserved or economically vulnerable consumers using these services.” Mobile payment security has been widely discussed recently, after Apple revealed its mobile wallet platform Apple Pay, which lets customers upload credit card information and simply use their phone to pay at participating retailers (CD Sept 10 p17). Apple said Apple Pay -- by generating a one-time-only number for each transaction and limiting credit card number exposure -- is more secure than credit cards (CD Sept 10 p21). The FTC issued a 2013 full report on mobile payments (http://1.usa.gov/1qodt03), which highlighted “the importance of clear disclosures about dispute resolution and liability limits and the need for mobile payment companies to provide greater transparency surrounding their data practices,” said the commission.
The government of Canada issued the following trade-related notices for Sept. 15 (note that some may also be given separate headlines).
Mobile financial systems present privacy and security concerns for consumers and raise the risk of data brokers gaining consumer information without explicit consent, commented the FTC Thursday to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (http://1.usa.gov/1tHQPkH). It acknowledged that “mobile technologies provide consumers with unprecedented efficiency and convenience to conduct financial transactions.” The comments responded to a CFPB request for information this summer. The FTC mentioned mobile banking and location-based discounts as several perks to mobile finance: “Some mobile technologies, such as mobile carrier billing, may be especially beneficial for unbanked and underbanked consumers.” But with the benefits come risks, the FTC said. “Consumers using mobile financial services may be at risk for liability for unauthorized charges or unfair billing, as well as the increased collection, use, and sharing of consumers’ personal and financial data,” the FTC said. “These issues may raise particular concerns for the underserved or economically vulnerable consumers using these services.” Mobile payment security has been widely discussed recently, after Apple revealed its mobile wallet platform Apple Pay, which lets customers upload credit card information and simply use their phone to pay at participating retailers (WID Sept 10 p9). Apple said Apple Pay -- by generating a one-time-only number for each transaction and limiting credit card number exposure -- is more secure than credit cards (WID Sept 10 p18). The FTC issued a 2013 full report on mobile payments (http://1.usa.gov/1qodt03), which highlighted “the importance of clear disclosures about dispute resolution and liability limits and the need for mobile payment companies to provide greater transparency surrounding their data practices,” said the commission.
CBP is expected to publish a Federal Register notice announcing an export manifest pilot program in "coming weeks," said Elizabeth Merritt, director of cargo services at Airlines for America. Merritt, who also co-chairs the trade subcommittee within the Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations export committee, spoke during the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America Government Affairs Conference on Sept. 15. CBP has said it "is developing automated export manifest functionality for all modes of transportation" and "will be rolled out as pilots over the next year pending publication of final regulation changes removing paper filing as an option and allowing for electronic filing" (here). Export manifest work has progressed in recent months to look at the processes involved, she said. That has allowed the subcommittee to develop some more "detailed" solutions, said Merritt.
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CBP Commissioner Gil Kerlikowske promoted Brenda Smith, who previously headed up the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) business office at the agency, as assistant commissioner in the Office of International Trade, CBP said in a Sept. 11 press release. Smith takes over for Rich DiNucci, who led the Office of International Trade in an acting capacity since Al Gina retired last year (see 13080802). DiNucci was moved to the Office of Field Operations, where he will be executive director of Cargo Conveyance and Security, said the agency.