At the recent Homeland Security Cargo Summit, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) offered a draft national cargo security strategy paper as a starting point for a Summit discussion on the development of a strategic plan to support enhanced cargo security across DHS.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted to its Web site a notice announcing that it will be holding a Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) supply chain security training seminar on April 18-21, 2005 in Miami, FL. CBP states that participation in this seminar is open to certified C-TPAT members only.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted to its Web site a new document entitled "Securing theGlobal Supply Chain, Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) Strategic Plan."
Shippers NewsWire reports that at the recent 2004 Trade Symposium, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Bonner told reporters that CBP is ready to take the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) to the next level by offering "C-TPAT Plus," as an incentive for low-risk shippers to do more. According to the article, CBP security programs and confidence in certain shippers has evolved to the point that a "green lane" is now feasible. (SNW dated 01/14/05, www.americanshipper.com .)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a third draft version, 'Draft 3,' dated January 7, 2005, of CBP's draft new C-TPAT Security Standards for Importers, which is available for distribution to subscribers.
American Shipper reports that on January 7, 2005, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) distributed a third draft of new C-TPAT security standards for importers to a select group of importers and trade associations, and have asked for feedback by Friday, January 14, 2005. (ShippersNewsWire@americanshipper.com )
The Wall Street Journal reports that the duties China will levy on certain categories of apparel exports (coats, skirts, knit shirts, nonknit shirts, pajamas and underwear) seem unlikely to satisfy the governments in the U.S. or Europe intent on protecting their industries from an expected flood of Chinese-made garments. The article states that almost all categories will have duties of just 20 fen per item, with several persons quoted as stating that the tax (which Chinese companies can absorb and/or pass on to customers) is just a political or token measure, and will do little to slow exports. (WJS, dated 12/28/04, www.wsj.com )
On December 16-17, 2004, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) held a Cargo Security Summit at the Georgetown University Conference Center. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted to its Web site CBP Commissioner Robert Bonner's remarks at the summit, highlights of which are provided below.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a press release announcing that on December 9, 2004, the World Customs Organization (WCO) endorsed a Framework of Standards to secure and facilitate global trade that is based upon principles designed and implemented by CBP.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reports that China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have signed an agreement to create the world's biggest free-trade area, which aims to remove all tariffs by 2010 and is a critical step in their vision of creating an ASEAN Community trade bloc by 2020. (WSJ Pub 11/30/04, www.wsj.com)