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.
The Food and Drug Administration now hopes to begin its Voluntary Qualified Importer Program in 2017, according to an agency spokeswoman. The trusted trader program for food importers is held up until FDA creates its system of third-party accreditation bodies, because a condition of VQIP participation will be importing from foreign facilities that have been certified under the third-party accreditation system, she said. FDA is under court order to publish its final rule on third-party accreditation by Oct. 31, 2015 (see 14022124).
A new Consumer Product Safety Commission trusted trader program could be in the offing as the agency moves cautiously toward electronic filing of certificates of compliance, said CPSC Commissioner Joseph Mohorovic during a March 19 meeting with the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America. However, any CPSC trusted trader program must overcome the familiar hurdle of providing enough benefits to importers, said NCBFAA representatives at the meeting.
Indonesia recently began an Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) program, said the World Customs Organization (here). Such programs, which are similar to the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism program in the U.S., allow for mutual recognition with outside governments, said WCO Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya at the March 17 certification ceremony.