CBP posted a user manual for the coming Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism Portal 2.0 (here). CBP plans to launch the first phase of Portal 2.0 on Dec. 8 (see 1411170024). The first phase will include a new interface for the portal, it said. "A main tenet of Portal 2.0 is to facilitate more effective account management through combining multiple Trade Accounts into a single Trade Organization," said CBP in the manual. 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."
The first phase of the new Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism portal, called Portal 2.0, will launch on Dec. 8, the agency told C-TPAT members, according to customs consulting company Trade Innovations (here). Portal 2.0 is different enough from the previous version that it may require some training, said CBP. The portal will also require new passwords, though no other data is at risk, the agency said. CBP has said it plans to begin the new C-TPAT Exporter Entity after the first phase of Portal 2.0 is completed, though specific timing remains unclear (see 1411060012).
International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for Nov. 3-7 in case they were missed.
The eventual addition of other government agency (OGAs) data within the Importer Security Filing program is a realistic possibility, but much would be required before that happens, said Rich DiNucci, acting assistant commissioner for the CBP Office of Field Operations. DiNucci, who spoke Nov. 6 at a Coalition of New England Companies for Trade (CONECT) event, said while OGA involvement seems to be the direction the program is headed, there's still some big impediments in the way. DiNucci said he expects the government to someday look at how "you combine these data sets so you can use them cross-agency," but that's "going to be a long, long discussion."
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The timeframe for a Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) component for exporters remains in flux as problems with hardware forced the delay of a C-TPAT portal update, said George Rudy, CBP supervisor of C-TPAT Evaluations and Assessments. Rudy spoke Nov. 6 at the Northeast Cargo Symposium, a Coalition of New England Companies for Trade (CONECT) event (here). He discussed a number of efforts to improve the program, including newly added benefits and work to reach a mutual recognition arrangement with China.
CBP and Mexico's Tax Administration Service signed a mutual recognition arrangement (MRA) on Oct. 17, said CBP in a press release. The MRA allows the two countries' customs agencies to consider an importer's participation within either trusted trader program -- Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism in the U.S. and New Certified Companies Scheme in Mexico. “This is a significant milestone for both the United States and Mexico and the facilitation of secure trade between the two countries,” said Commissioner Gil Kerlikowske. CBP previously said it planned to reach an MRA with Mexico by the end of the year (see 14061619). "The goal of the mutual recognition arrangement is to link the two industry partnership programs, so that together they create a unified and sustainable security posture that can assist in securing and facilitating global cargo trade," said the agency.
CBP is in the process of internally organizing a number of areas of the coming Trusted Trader pilot as the test nears its start, said Michael Denning, acting executive director, Cargo and Conveyance Security, during the Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations (COAC) meeting on Oct. 7. CBP has selected and started to notify accepted applicants for the Trusted Trader pilot, he said. The pilot, which will test a combined CBP’s Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) supply chain security program with the Importer Self Assessment (ISA) import compliance program, was announced in June (see 14061320).
The European textile and apparel industry is pushing for regulatory harmonization with the U.S. through the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, namely by streamlining labeling rules and customs procedures, a European Union association called Euratex said in a position paper released during the last TTIP talks. The latest round wrapped up on Oct. 3, and negotiators focused on progress made in services trade and some technical regulations (see 14100616).
CBP posted a set of frequently asked questions for the planned Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) program for exporters, called C-TPAT Exporter Entity. The agency is in the process of updating the automated system to allow applications for the program, it said. While C-TPAT importers that can now receive export benefits with Japan and European Union due to mutual recognition arrangements, this program "is being launched to enable 'export only' businesses to enjoy C-TPAT benefits as well," it said. CBP recently posted a list of exporter eligibility requirements for participation in C-TPAT (see 14070921).
The Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations (COAC) for CBP will next meet Oct. 7 at 1 p.m. in Washington, CBP said in a notice.