U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued an updated version of a June 23, 2011 memorandum on 520(d) post importation preference claims to newly state that a 520(d) claim does not require a Post Entry Amendment (PEA), a Post Summary Correction (PSC) or a 19 USC 1514 Protest. The new memo also states that 520(d) claims can be for either classification or value changes that bear directly on the preference claim.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a CSMS message stating that on Friday, November 4, 2011 at approximately 7:00 a.m., the Automated Commercial System (ACS) will be updated to allow the trade to obtain duty-free entry for a GSP (SPI A) claim. According to CBP sources, this is one day earlier than the statutory date of November 5 (which falls on a Saturday), and would apply to ACE entry summaries too.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted the following documents for the Customs Automated Manifest Interface Requirements (CAMIR) for Ocean ACE M1:

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a CSMS message announcing that it will be ready to accept the new 0.3464% Merchandise Processing Fee for formal entries (class code 499) on Saturday, November 5, 2011 at approximately 7:30 a.m.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted an updated version of its spreadsheet of ACE ESAR A2.2 (Initial Entry Types) programming issues.

On October 12, 2011, U.S. Customs and Border Protection held a webinar on the ACE Courtesy Notice of Liquidation Report, AM-100. While much of this information has been provided in previous CBP notices, the webinar provided new details on the availability of the AM-100 for ACE and ACS-filed entry summaries. New details were also provided on the availability of the bill of lading number for the AM-100 and other account management reports.

At the October 4, 2011 COAC meeting, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials provided an update on the Automated Commercial Environment and the International Trade Data System since the previous COAC meeting in August 2011. According to CBP, ACE continues to be among the agency’s top business priorities. CBP officials also provided an update on its activities on M1, ITDS, Cargo Release, the September 2011 Trade Support Network Plenary, and ACE for Export Processing.

On October 27, 2011, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Bersin hosted a series of roundtable discussions with leaders of trade associations on their issues and concerns. The President of the National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO), a domestic textile industry association, presented the NCTO's concerns with illegal textile and apparel transshipments involving falsified certificates of origin. CBP also discussed its initiatives ACE, simplified entry pilot, and the Centers for Excellence and Expertise with other roundtable participants.

Senator Baucus, the year is coming to a close and by all appearances Alan Bersin is doing what you asked of him almost one and one-half years ago during the May 2010 hearing on his nomination as CBP Commissioner -- to renew and strengthen his focus on the agency’s historical mission to facilitate international trade. You had put him on notice that both the Senate and Finance Committee would be reviewing his record and deciding whether he would be allowed to continue his service as CBP Commissioner beyond December 31, 2011.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted an updated Appendix D for the Customs Automated Manifest Interface Requirements (CAMIR) for the ACE Ocean Manifest (M1). Appendix D provides a complete listing of valid disposition codes. (See ITT's Online Archives 11102704 for summary of CBP announcing upcoming changes to CAMIR for Ocean Manifest.)