Supply chain solutions provider Marken said it was again designated as a C-TPAT (Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism) certified company, following a CBP inspection. It first achieved the designation in 2008, it said.
CBP officials addressed a number of myths surrounding the agency's rewrite of broker regulations in 19 CFR Part 111. Elena Ryan, director for trade facilitation and administration at CBP said the agency heard brokers report several pieces of misinformation regarding the regulatory update. Ryan and others spoke during an Oct. 4 Webinar that provided a rundown of the agency's outreach efforts to the broker industry. The Webinar is part of agencies outreach effort to explore the "Role of the Broker."
CBP is expanding its Importer Self-Assessment (ISA) program to allow importers that have gone through other stringent government reviews to take advantage of the program, according to an Oct. 5 Federal Register notice. The agency will now allow companies that have gone through a CBP Focused Assessment (FA) audit to take part in ISA without additional reviews. The change formalizes an informal and not widely known practice that CBP has had over the last couple of years, said an industry executive.
CBP opened the Petroleum, Natural Gas and Minerals Center of Excellence and Expertise CEE in Houston Sept. 17, it said in a Sept. 24 press release. The CEE has started centralized processing for all trusted partners in the industry, "providing uniformity for trusted importers," said CBP.
CBP opened the Automotive and Aerospace Center of Excellence and Expertise (CEE) in Detroit Sept. 4, it said in a Sept. 6 press release.. The center has started centralized processing for all trusted partners in the automotive and aerospace industry, it said.
CBP announced modifications to the National Customs Automation Program (NCAP) test regarding the simplified entry functionality in the Automated Commercial Environment. It modified the test's participant selection criteria to reflect that the C-TPAT status of an importer for whom a customs broker files a Simplified Entry is no longer an eligibility criterion. The test is no longer limited to nine participants and CBP is accepting applications from interested parties wishing to participate in the test. Prior unsuccessful applicants must reapply to be considered, it said.
CBP will host a Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) and Free and Secure Trade (FAST) seminar in El Paso, Texas for importers, manufacturers, carriers and other interested trade partners.
CBP posted an updated document regarding the mutual recognition of Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) and foreign industry partnership programs.
CBP will soon launch a pilot test of the Importer Self-Assessment Pre-Certification Program (ISAPC) that will allow CBP-certified customs brokers to screen and vet applicants to CBP’s ISA program, the agency said in a report on the Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations (COAC) Role of the Broker Subcommittee. The report was released ahead of the Aug. 15 COAC meeting in Seattle. According to CBP with ISAPC, eligible ISA applicants will be approved for the program in 90 to 120 days rather than 9 to 18 months. The CBP Role of the Broker report is (here).
CBP will modify its selection criteria and expand the participant pool for the a National Customs Automation Program (NCAP) test on ACE simplified entry capability, the agency said in a notice in the Federal Register Aug. 14. Simplified entry allows participants to file 12 required, and three optional data elements with CBP prior to arrival in the U.S. The ongoing initial phase of the test is only for air transportation mode and will run through Dec. 31, 2013. The changes to the pilot are effective Aug. 14, according to the notice. (FR 08/14)