U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued an ABI administrative message (Adm: 05-1438) announcing that on December 19, 2005, the interface between CBP's Automated Commercial System (ACS) and the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) Operational and Administrative System for Import Support (OASIS) was down. Due to that communication problem, CBP stated that prior notice (PN) contingency scenario 1 was in effect. (See message for procedures under contingency scenario 1.)
According to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) press release, the port of Lisbon, Portugal became the 42nd Container Security Initiative (CSI) port to target and pre-screen maritime cargo containers destined for U.S. ports on December 14, 2005.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has published a General Notice in the December 7, 2005 Customs Bulletin (Volume 39, No. 50) entitled: "Guidelines for the Assessment and Mitigation of Penalties for Failure to Comply with the Electronic Passenger and Crew Manifest Requirements for Vessel and Aircraft."
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued its weekly quota commodity report as of December 12, 2005. This report includes tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) on various products such as beef, tuna, sugar, dairy products, peanuts, cotton, cocoa powder, tobacco, certain JFTA, NAFTA, SFTA, UAFTA and UCFTA TRQs, etc. This report also includes the AGOA, ATPDEA, CBTPA, NAFTA, SFTA, and UCFTA (CFTA) tariff preference levels (TPLs) for qualifying apparel and/or other textile articles, the TRQs on worsted wool fabrics, etc. (CBP's weekly quota commodity report, dated 12/12/05, available at http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/import/textiles_and_quotas/commodity/)
CBP has issued an ABI administrative message reminding the trade community that it now allows brokers with Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Portal accounts to pay duties and fees on a monthly statement for all of their importer clients and that importers are no longer required to establish an ACE account to participate in the periodic monthly statement (PMS) program. Instead, importers may now establish Non-portal accounts, which is automatic for those that are C-TPAT participants. CBP adds that it is simple and free for a broker to establish an ACE account, and comes with many other benefits, such as broker and importer statements, multiple financial reports, etc. (See ITT's Online Archives or 10/25/05 news, 05102505, for BP summary of CBP general notice announcing these changes to Periodic Monthly Statement.) (ABI message 05-1370, dated 12/01/05, available at http://www.brokerpower.com/cgi-bin/adminsearch/admmsg.view.pl?article=2005/2005-1370.ADM.)
In mid-November 2005, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a notice announcing that the next meeting of the Departmental Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of Customs and Border Protection and Related Functions (COAC) would be held on December 1, 2005 in Washington, DC. (This committee was previously called the "Treasury Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of the U.S. Customs Service.")
In mid-November 2005, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a notice announcing that the next meeting of the Departmental Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of Customs and Border Protection and Related Functions (COAC) would be held on December 1, 2005 in Washington, DC. (This committee was previously called the "Treasury Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of the U.S. Customs Service.")
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted to its Web site a notice announcing that it will be holding a series of Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) Enrollment Seminars in 2006 for Mexican and Canadian Highway Carrier and Manufacturing sectors of C-TPAT.
According to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) press release, the port of Buenos Aires, Argentina is the 41st operational Container Security Initiative (CSI) port.
On November 2-4, 2005, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) held its annual Trade Symposium in Washington, DC.