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)
ShippersNewsWire reports that, among other things, the second draft of revised C-TPAT security standards for importers moves away from characterizing the measures as 'minimum standards' and instead says importers should apply various prescriptions based on an 'assessment of their risk.' The articles adds that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has circulated the draft among customs compliance managers at 16 major corporations, and is asking for comments by December 3, 2004. (ShippersNewsWire@americanshipper.com, dated 11/23/04)
In an earlier edition of International Trade Today, Broker Power had substantially transcribed what is now known as the first draft version of U.S. Customs and Border Protection's (CBP's) New C-TPAT Security Standards for Importers.
According to Shipper's NewsWire, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is continuing to work on a regulation mandating importers use tamper-evident, mechanical seals for all incoming ocean containers. The article notes that DHS is considering quickly implementing the same requirement for shippers in the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) program as a temporary safeguard until a formal rulemaking is completed. The article also notes that real world testing of electronic seals and container security devices has not produced a silver bullet yet and that DHS officials state that if electronic surveillance technology is going to be relied upon, the integrity of the equipment needs to be as robust as possible before its use is required. According to the article, DHS officials also estimate that it will take another three years before it can endorse a container security device for limited deployment and five years for universal deployment on the millions of containers in the system. (See ITT's Online Archives or 11/15/04 news, 04111599 1 for previous BP summary on only the electronic seal or container security device aspect of this Shipper's NewsWire article.) (SNW dated 11/12/04, www.americanshippper.com.)