U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted another updated version of its 2011 Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Accomplishments Fact Sheet, which now lists a total of 42 accomplishments from January to December 2011. In October - December 2011, CBP implemented ACE e-Manifest: Rail and Sea (M1) training for more than 700 CBP officers at 13 ports; began both the trade and CBP pilots in support of M1; reported successful M1 manifest receipts by a sea and rail carrier, and 13 ports began to successfully accept and process M1 manifests; and completed a draft Cargo Release functional requirements document.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is allowing an additional 30 days, until March 8, 2012, to comment on eight existing carrier cargo information collections, including the Importer Security Filing. CBP is proposing to extend the expiration date of these information collections with no changes to the information collected on the forms or regulations. However, CBP has revised its estimates of the burden hours and response times based on analysis of recent data.

In U.S. Customs and Border Protection's January 2012 Trade Account Owner (TAO) Update, CBP stated that the M1 pilot (e-Manifest: Rail and Sea) was currently underway, with the first Automated Broker Interface (ABI) filer to join the pilot during the week of January 30th. However, CBP sources now state the first ABI filer will join the pilot a week later, during the week of February 6, 2012.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has announced that the Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (COAC) will meet on February 21, 2012 in Washington, D.C. Topics to be discussed at the meeting include Air Cargo Advance Screening, the one government at the border initiative, and IPR enforcement. There will be comment opportunities before and during the meeting. The registration deadline to attend or listen to the webcast of the meeting is February 17.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued an updated Directory (dated January 30, 2012) for its Revenue Division, which is part of its National Finance Center in Indianapolis, Indiana. Among other things, the Continuous Bond program is centralized in the Revenue Division. It also handles harbor maintenance fees (HMF); fines, penalties and forfeiture (FP&F); supplemental tariff bills, miscellaneous bills, and tariff debts; liquidated damages case initiation; ACE periodic payments and ACH debit/credit; among other responsibilities. The directory lists the offices within the division, the CBP staff members in each office, and their phone numbers.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued the following news releases related to commercial trade and related issues:

On January 31, 2012, U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued CSMS message #12-000027 announcing that it was aware of issues preventing the successful logon to the ACE Reports portal (i.e., the ACE Reports subsystem). CBP immediately issued (perhaps prematurely) and then rescinded CSMS #12-00028 (the message stated that the issue had been resolved and ACE reports could be generated). On February 1, 2012, CBP issued CSMS #12-000032 that states that the problem preventing the successful logon to the ACE Reports portal (i.e., the ACE Reports subsystem) is resolved and that ACE reports can now be generated. CSMS #12-000027 available here. CSMS #12-000032 available here.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued its January 2012 Trade Account Owner (TAO) Update. This update features information on planned ACE functionality for 2012, including e-Manifest: Rail and Sea (M1), Simplified Entry, the Document Image System (DIS), the Participating Government Agency (PGA) Message Set, and exports. This update also provides information on creating a split shipment via the ACE Portal, new ACE report issues and other updates, etc.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a CSMS Message announcing that a new Importer Security Filing (ISF) Report, the "Late ISF Importer Report (PDF)," is now available for importers and filers.¹ Users will need to subscribe to this new report.

On January 31, 2012, U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued CSMS message #12-000027 announcing that it was aware of issues preventing the successful logon to the ACE Reports portal (i.e., the ACE Reports subsystem). CBP subsequently issued and rescinded CSMS #12-00028 (stating that this issue has been resolved and that ACE reports can now be generated.) On February 1, 2012, CBP issued CSMS