UPS will give a delivery guarantee when the company is used as the customs broker in several categories of shipments between the U.S. and Mexico, said UPS in a news release (here). The company also created a "new, single national Power of Attorney in Mexico that today covers 27 ports of entry so shippers have less paperwork for more efficient customs clearance into the country," it said. The new offerings are meant to strengthen UPS's "cross-border services to help U.S. exporters capture new opportunities in Mexico, and Mexican exporters to increase trade with the U.S.," it said. There's been about a 20 percent increase in customer requests for U.S.-Mexico cross-border movements, said Carlos Cubias, vice president of the UPS center of excellence for U.S.-Mexico trade.

Major concerns persist among the trade community about readiness for the fast-approaching Feb. 28 mandatory use date for Automated Commercial Environment entry summary and cargo release. Despite the reprieve granted by CBP when it delayed the deadline from Nov. 1, the ACE adoption rate remains low. A constant stream of programming tweaks from CBP has made it impossible to finalize software, and as-yet-undeployed capabilities make it difficult even for some filers that want to file in ACE to make the switch to the new system, said several involved in implementation from the industry side in recent interviews.

The National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America remains worried about the number of software updates related to the Automated Commercial Environment so close to the mandatory use date, it said in a "open letter" to importers and exporters on Jan. 8 (here). Just as CBP decided to push back some of the mandatory use dates for ACE in response to readiness concerns for the system (see 1509010017), "we face the same decision now," said the trade group. The agency must immediately cease all software changes for processes that will be required in ACE as of Feb. 28, said the association.

A new Broker Regulations working group will consider "at least four categories" as it works to develop recommendations for changes to CBP regulations for customs brokers (see 1601060028), said CBP in an issue paper (here) posted ahead of Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of Customs and Border Protection (COAC) meeting on Jan. 13. Those issues are: permits, data and reporting, management of operations, and fees. The broker regulations issue paper focuses on the Broker Regulations Working Group that will. The working group will include "will include participants from the trade community" and "CBP representatives, including Centers of Excellence and Expertise (CEE) leadership, Office of Field Operations (OFO), the Office of Administration (OA) and the Office of International Trade (OT)," it said. The first meeting for the group is set for Jan. 19-20 in Alexandria, Virginia and finalized recommendations are expected by March, ahead of the April COAC meeting, it said.

CBP posted its agenda and some other agency documents for the upcoming Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of Customs and Border Protection (COAC) meeting on Jan. 13. Among the posted items is a subcommittee status report from the Office of Trade Relations (here). The COAC will form a new working group to make recommendations for customs broker regulations updates and to "promote transparency and collaboration among stakeholders with equities in 19 CFR 111," said CBP in the report. "With these recommendations, CBP will publish" a notice "describing the anticipated changes and solicit comments." The agenda is (here).

CBP plans to revoke hundreds of customs broker licenses by operation of law, without prejudice, for failure to file the 2015 triennial status report and applicable fee, it said in a notice (here). CBP’s list includes the broker name (individual or company), license number, and port name associated with the licenses being revoked.

International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for 2015 in case they were missed.

A home theater sound bar set with wireless connectivity features is best classified based on its loudspeaker functions, rather than other features, said CBP in HQ H250308, a Dec. 8 ruling (here). The importer, Venturer Electronics, filed a request for further review of protest for the RCA sound bar package. At import, the sound bar is packaged together with a remote control, a user manual, a wall mounting bracket, batteries for the remote control, a power cord, and a quick start guide.

Changes to the CBP's allowed response period for corrections to continuous bonds were clarified by the agency following concerns raised by industry, said the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America on its website (here). The International Trade Surety Association expressed some worry after CBP issued a final rule on the centralization of the continuous bond program in November (see 1511120010), said the NCBFAA. CBP's revenue division told ITSA that it will continue its practice of using a "buffer" period before actually turning "the bond off."

The Energy Department on Dec. 29 issued a proposed rule (here) that would require the filing in the Automated Commercial Environment at time of entry of “certifications of admissibility” for each shipment of products covered by DOE energy efficiency standards. Filers would be required to submit data elements referring to importers’ annual certifications if on file in DOE’s Compliance and Certification Management System. If not, filers would have to submit data on the specific product being imported. Additional data would be required if the product is a component incorporated into a final product. New filing requirements would take effect two years after publication of any final rule, said DOE. Comments on the proposed rule are due Feb. 12.