Broker Power is providing readers with some of the top stories for February 13 - February 17, 2012 in case they were missed last week.
On February 7, 2012, a House subcommittee1 held a hearing on “Balancing Maritime Security and Trade Facilitation: Protecting our Ports, Increasing Commerce and Securing the Supply Chain” at which testimony was given by witnesses from CBP, GAO, etc. on issues such as 100% scanning, C-TPAT, CSI, etc.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection's C-TPAT administrators have issued a message to all C-TPAT partners to clarify a February 2012 notice that announced that a new ISO mechanical seal standard would apply on March 1, 2012. CBP explains that as no accredited independent laboratories have been willing to test a certain element of the ISO seal standard requirements, the new standard cannot be met. CBP is therefore delaying implementation of the new standard until this issue is resolved. However, C-TPAT partners are encouraged to buy seals that comply with another part of the standard that is attainable.
In February 15, 2012 testimony before Congress on the Administration's proposed fiscal year (FY) 2013 budget for the Department of Homeland Security, Secretary Janet Napolitano stated that DHS' trade-related budget priorities include expanding CSI, funding a CBP-private sector IPR partnership program, adding Industry Integration Centers (CEEs), and updating certain facilities on the southern border.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted its draft agenda and 22 other documents for the upcoming Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of Customs and Border Protection (COAC) meeting on February 21, 2012, which include presentations, draft recommendations, and other documents on the role of the Broker, Simplified Entry, Bonds, the Global Supply Chain, and other topics.
On February 13, 2012, the President submitted to Congress his fiscal year 2013 budget proposal. According to the Office of Management and Budget, his FY 2013 budget proposes cuts and consolidations across the Federal government and includes more than $7.5 billion in administrative savings. The following are highlights from the President's budget proposal and annex, a DHS budget document, and other agency information.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted the following documents on its "What's New" webpage regarding the C-TPAT and FAST programs (note that many of these documents have prior dates and appear to simply be reposted):
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has advised C-TPAT partners that effective March 1, 2012, the current International Organization for Standardization mechanical seal standard (ISO/PAS 17712) will be replaced with a new ISO standard -- ISO 17712:2010. CBP states companies are not expected to discard seals currently in stock. However, after companies have exhausted their current stock of high security seals, the agency recommends that companies purchase seals which are compliant with the new ISO standard.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted amended recommendations of COAC’s Global Supply Chain Security Land Border Subcommittee. The amended recommendations largely ask CBP to obtain input from affected stakeholders.
On January 26, 2012, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Market Access and Compliance Michael Camuñez discussed efforts to increase trade between the U.S. and Mexico, including some of the progress made to date on implementing the two country's May 2010 Joint Declaration on 21st Century Border Management.