U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued its final draft, dated February 11, 2005, of CBP's draft new C-TPAT Security Standards for Importers, which is available for distribution to subscribers.
On February 18, 2005, President Bush announced his intention to designate Peter Allgeier to be Acting U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). According to the State Department's Washington File, Ambassador Allgeier will serve in place of outgoing USTR Robert Zoellick, who has been nominated as deputy Secretary of State. Washington File reports that Allgeier currently serves as deputy USTR. (White House announcement, dated 02/18/05, available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/02/20050218-15.html; Washington File article, dated 02/18/05, available at http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2005&m=February&x=20050218180207ESnamfuaK0.8694422&t=ei/ei-latest.html)
On February 15, 2005, Judge Michael Chertoff was sworn in as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) after being confirmed by the Senate. Chertoff formerly served as U.S. Circuit Judge for the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. (DHS press release available at http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/interapp/biography/biography_0116.xml.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has presented its final version of is new Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) security standards for importers to the Departmental Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of Customs and Border Protection and Related Functions (COAC). During the February 15, 2005 COAC meeting, CBP officials noted that they will also be issuing frequently asked questions (FAQs) and responses regarding the revised C-TPAT security standards. (See ITT's Online Archives or 01/13/05 news, 05011305, for BP summary of Draft 3 of CBP's new C-TPAT security standards for importers.)
On February 7, 2005, President Bush transmitted to Congress his fiscal year (FY) 2006 budget. (FY 2006 is from October 1, 2005 through September 30, 2006.)
On February 1, 2005, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Robert Bonner addressed the Trade Support Network (TSN). The following are highlights of Commissioner Bonner's remarks to the TSN, which focused primarily on Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT):
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a general notice announcing that, effective immediately, applicants seeking to establish importer or broker accounts so as to access the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Secure Data Portal (ACE Portal) or to participate in any ACE test, are no longer required to provide a statement certifying participation in the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT).
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a notice announcing that the next meeting of the Departmental Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection and Related Functions (COAC) will be held on February 15, 2005 in Washington, DC. (This committee was previously called the "Treasury Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of the U.S. Customs Service.") According to DHS, at the February 15, 2005 meeting, COAC is expected to pursue the following agenda (subject to change):
On January 12-14, 2005, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) held its annual Trade Symposium in Washington, DC.
On January 12-14, 2005, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) held its annual Trade Symposium in Washington, DC.