U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a notice announcing that the next meeting of the Departmental Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Related Homeland Security Functions (COAC)1 will be held on February 13, 2008 in Tucson, AZ.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has upgraded its CBP.gov homepage. According to a CBP news release on the upgrade, this is the first in a series of upgrades designed to provide a modernized, user-friendly Web site. The new homepage features more and larger photos, a rotating news ticker and streamlined layout. Future upgrades will simplify the navigation structure and improve users' experience with second level feature pages. (See ITT's Online Archives or 01/24/08 news, 08012430 1, for BP summary announcing that CBP would be updating CBP.gov.)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted to its Web site its report to Congress on the Automated Commercial Environment for the third quarter (April 1, 2007 - June 30, 2007) and fourth quarter (July 1, 2007 - September 30, 2007) of fiscal year (FY) 2007.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued its Performance and Accountability Report for Fiscal Year 2007 which contains certain performance data concerning CBP's progress in achieving, among other things, the six strategic goals that are set forth in CBP's Strategic Plan for FYs 2005-2010.
On December 12, 2007, U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued a Request for Information (RFI), technical requirements, and other documents for conveyance security devices (CSDs, commonly referred to as container security devices). (See ITT's Online Archives or 12/14/07 news, 07121405, for BP summary of the RFI.)
On January 1, 2008, the European Community formally implemented its Authorized Economic Operator program. AEOs are economic operators who, by virtue of satisfying certain criteria, are considered to be reliable in their customs related operations throughout the EC and are therefore entitled to certain benefits.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a proposed rule that would amend its regulations at 19 CFR Parts 4, 12, 18, 101, 103, 113, 122, 123, 141, 143, 149 and 192 to require Security Filing (SF) information from importers and additional information from carriers (10+2) for vessel (maritime) cargo before it is brought into the U.S.
During a recent speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Basham discussed a variety of cargo security issues including Container Security Devices (CSDs)1, 10+2 for maritime cargo, the Secure Freight Initiative (SFI), 100% container scanningat foreign ports, and the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) program.
On June 15, 2007, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 2638, the fiscal year (FY) 2008 appropriations bill for the Department of Homeland Security, affecting U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Transportation Security Administration, etc.
American Shipper reports that the U.S. and the European Union hope to conclude a mutual recognition agreement by mid-2009 of U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism and the EU's Authorized Economic Operator program to allow reciprocal faster customs clearance. The article notes that while progress toward mutual recognition has been made, C-TPAT's lack of inclusion of exports remains a difficulty. (American Shipper, dated 12/14/07, www.americanshipper.com)