The Los Angeles-area seaports and airport "are working to standardize the receiving and processing of physical paper documents for ACE Cargo Release Entries," said Anne Maricich, executive director of the L.A. Field Office in a March 17 public bulletin. Despite the ongoing move to ACE, "there will be instances in which CBP will require paper documents pursuant to partner government agency (PGA) requirements," said Maricich. "For the small number of situations in which PGA regulations preclude the electronic submission of certain certificates and permits through [the Document Image System], original paperwork is still required." When paper documents for ACE cargo release entries is required, filers must include a cover sheet to CBP that includes the ACE entry, entry number, bill of lading number, broker name with contact information and broker box number, said CBP. Each local port has "established designated reception drop-boxes that are specifically labeled 'ACE' for delivery purposes," CBP said. "Failure to submit paper documents via the designated ACE drop box may delay cargo release."

CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters:

CBP is apparently planning to deploy quota capabilities in ACE this July, according to a CSMS message sent March 16 (here). CBP’s most recent updates to ACE mandatory use dates and its ACE deployment schedule had only said quota entry and entry summary types 02, 07 and 12 would be deployed and become mandatory in “Summer 2016,” alongside entry types 21 and 22 and entry summary types 21, 22, 31, 32, 34 and 38. In the CSMS message, CBP urged filers to begin testing quota in the ACE certification environment. “July is right around the corner, and we encourage all Trade participants to test in CERTIFICATION,” said the agency. Under the previous deadline, CBP said it would deploy quota entry types at the same time it switches off the legacy Automated Commercial System in order to avoid double counting (see 1509030068), in effect making ACE quota mandatory immediately after deployment.

The Energy Department’s proposal to require the filing of additional data elements in ACE for products subject to energy efficiency standards is unnecessarily burdensome, and runs contrary to the federal government’s stated goal of simplifying the import process, said manufacturer and importer associations in comments submitted to the agency (here). The proposed rule results from a misunderstanding of the roles various parties play in the import process, seeking data from importers that is best and most easily – and already – submitted by manufacturers, they said.

The Food and Drug Administration will in the coming days release a new version of its supplemental guide for filing in ACE, said Jessica Aranda, FDA’s ACE outreach lead, during a March 15 webinar. The update will include a number of tweaks, bug fixes and clarifications based on feedback it has received from the trade community. FDA also plans on setting up a 24 help desk for ACE in the “near future,” said Aranda.

CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters:

CBP saw "the largest percentage increase ever" in the cargo release Automated Commercial Environment submission rate in February, the agency said (here). During February, the ACE submission rate for cargo release moved up 11 percent to 31.2 percent, CBP said. That increase beats out the previous largest increase, set the month before (see 1603040030). So far, 182 of top 200 baseline filers have filed at least one cargo release in ACE, the agency said. CBP considers the percentages an important measure of readiness for mandatory use of ACE (see 1510190017). Unique filers for Partner Government Agency pilots also grew from January to February, up from 469 to 823, CBP said.

International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for March 7 - March 11 in case they were missed.

CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters:

The Energy Department should withdraw its recently issued proposal to require the filing of “certifications of admissibility” at time of entry for products subject to energy efficiency standards, or at least suspend the rulemaking process while it conducts “further analysis and significant outreach” said several trade groups in recently submitted comments (here). The joint comments from the trade groups, which include the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America, Consumer Technology Association and Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, were posted on March 11 (here).