CBP is going through a "revolutionary series of changes, both culturally, organizationally and through our implementation of new technology that will fundamentally change in every way that we look at trade enforcement," said Michael Denning, an advisor on Cargo and Conveyance Security in the CBP Office of Field Operations. Some of the key areas for agency focus during this evolution include a drive toward consistency between the ports and the Centers of Excellence and Expertise, he said on May 27 while speaking at the West Coast Trade Symposium. Risk targeting has improved and the agency is now building on some of that through the expansion of Trusted Trader within the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism program, he said.
The second phase of the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) Portal 2.0 “is now live,” allowing exporter-only entities to apply for C-TPAT membership, said CBP in a CSMS message (here). “Companies that desire to initiate a brand new security model application to C-TPAT as an exporter” may now apply, it said. Importers who have already signed the Export Agreement have automatically had their C-TPAT security model expanded to include the exporter security criteria that now require responses, as well as other data fields unique to exporters that must be completed, said CBP. Importers that have not signed the Export Agreement will be able to expand their security model when CBP releases the next software update “in mid-June,” said the agency.
CBP plans to deploy the second phase of the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) on May 30, the agency said (here). CBP delayed a roll out of several new features to C-TPAT, including the addition of exporters, earlier this month (see 1505190026).
The rescheduled deployment of the updated Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) is expected soon, said Shawn Porter, Supervisory Supply Chain Specialist at CBP, during a webinar hosted by Integration Point on May 21. CBP delayed a roll out of several new features to C-TPAT, including the addition of exporters, earlier this month (see 1505190026). A new rollout date must still be approved by CBP leadership "but it will be weeks, not months," he said. The delay was due to "technical issues that could not be resolved in the twelve-hour blackout window that we had been provided," Porter said.
The U.S. and Canada plan to launch a joint application process for highway carrier participation within the respective trusted trader programs, said the White House in its 2014 Beyond the Border Implementation Report (here). The report details recent progress on the Beyond the Border plan, a combined effort by the two countries to improve travel and trade processing. CBP has previously discussed ongoing work to align the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) program with Canada's Partners in Protection (PIP) program (see 1412050024).
CBP delayed an update of the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) portal, the agency said in a CSMS message (here). As a result "enhancements that were indicated during pre-release messaging, including the ability to apply as an Exporter, will not be available until further notice," CBP said. CBP previously said it would deploy C-TPAT 2.0 on May 16 (see 1504230015) and begin to allow for exporters to join the program on May 17 (see 1505110007).
International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for May 11-15 in case they were missed.
CBP will open the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism to exporters on May 17, said the agency in a recent CSMS message (here). Potential benefits for will include prioritized export shipments; global security partnerships; heightened facilitation from mutually recognized customs partners; access to C-TPAT sponsored security seminars; and reduced examinations, it said. Joining the program is free, and C-TPAT supply chain security specialists “are ready to assist” exporters in “securing the supply chain while remaining productive,” said CBP.
CBP plans to deploy the second phase of the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) on May 16, the agency said (here). "This deployment will restructure the security profile function into individual line items," it said. "To prevent potential applicants from having to conduct redundant work by completing the security profile twice, once in the current format and a second time immediately after May 16th in the new format, C-TPAT will not be accepting new applications after April 15, 2015, until Phase II deploys." As part of the second phase, "it will also be possible to merge multiple C-TPAT accounts into a single Security Model, if accounts are managed under the same trade account and follow the same security policies and procedures," said CBP in its C-TPAT 2.0 user manual (see 1411180013).
ORLANDO, Fla. -- CBP and the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America are set to launch the Broker Known Importer Program (BKIP) in the coming week, said agency and trade association leadership at the NCBFAA annual conference on Aug. 22. With functionality in the Automated Commercial Environment in place since January, CBP will issue a CSMS message next week detailing the voluntary program, which will lower the agency’s risk profile for an importer if their broker informs CBP through a flag checked at entry that it “knows” the importer and has advised the importer of its compliance responsibilities. The CSMS message will allow BKIP to “go live,” said Mary Jo Muoio of OHL Trade Services.