At the December 5, 2011 COAC meeting, COAC and CBP officials discussed various issues related to the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT), including a C-TPAT pilot for exporters. COAC and CBP are also working to gather information on providing tiering benefits to C-TPAT highway carriers. In addition, CBP is urging COAC input on enhancements to the C-TPAT web portal.
The following are details of the “Beyond the Border” Action Plan agreed to by President Obama and Prime Minister Harper on December 7, 2011. The plan includes specific actions and 2012-2014 target dates to achieve goals such as: (i) common data elements for advance cargo screening; (ii) mutual recognition of air cargo security programs for passenger aircraft; (iii) attempted alignment of Canada’s Customs Self Assessment (CSA) and the U.S. Importer Self Assessment (ISA) programs; (iv) assessment on ways to move wood packaging material inspections away from the border; etc.
The Department of Homeland Security is seeking comments on the “Beyond the Border” Action Plan announced by President Obama and Prime Minister Harper on December 7, 2011. The plan, which sets specific actions and dates, is one of the agreed steps to help the two countries realize the goal of a “perimeter approach” to security and economic competiveness declared by the two leaders in February 2011.
At the December 7, 2011 COAC meeting, CBP officials provided an update on the status of the planned test of Automated Commercial Environment Simplified Entry (SE) in the air environment. Officials stated that CBP’s target date for the first SE filing is late January 2012. CBP also plans to test SE in the ocean and rail environments after M1 is deployed and hopes to soon include additional complexities (PGA entries, etc.) in the test.
On December 7, 2011, President Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Harper agreed to implement action plans for their Beyond the Border and Regulatory Cooperation Council initiatives, which include mutual recognition of air cargo security programs; harmonization of transborder advance data requirements for cargo; a single window for importers to submit information; harmonization of C-TPAT and PIP; coordination of border infrastructure; 29 initiatives to align regulations; etc.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a press release stating that it and the European Union Taxation and Customs Union Directorate have agreed to language for the U.S.-EU Mutual Recognition Decision that will lead to its signing in the Spring of 2012. Once signed, the Mutual Recognition Decision will recognize the respective trade partnership programs of the U.S. and the EU—CBP’s Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism and the EU’s Authorized Economic Operator—with reciprocal benefits. (See ITT's Online Archives 11120107 for summary of EU releases stating that mutual recognition was expected by July 2012.)
Mexico Customs (Aduanas) has posted information on its recently rolled out trusted shipper program, Nuevo Esquema de Empresas Certificadas (NEEC), which builds on the existing trusted trader program for “Certified Companies” by adding minimum security requirements, tax obligations, etc. The program is currently being rolled out for importers and exporters, and Aduanas is expected to begin reviewing applications in January 2012.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted the draft agenda for its Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of Customs and Border Protection (COAC) meeting on December 7, 2011. CBP has also posted the following presentations, draft recommendations, and other documents (note that if the links below have expired, these documents are available here):
The European Union issued the following trade-related releases on November 29 - 30, 2011 (notices of most significance will be given separate headlines):
On November 29, 2011, officials from the European Union and the U.S. met at the Transatlantic Economic Council (TEC) where they agreed to mutually recognize each others' secure traders programs -- the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) in the EU and the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) in the U.S. -- by July 2012. They also agreed to facilitate their customs procedures, strengthen cooperation on electric vehicle and smart grid research, raw materials, etc.