In April 2004, the World Customs Organization's (WCO's) Task Force on Security and Facilitation of the International Trade Supply Chain (Task Force) held its final session. According to a WCO press release, discussions at the Task Force session focused on, among other things, the implementation of existing WCO measures and instruments, the drafting of international standards, and Customs-business partnerships.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has announced the creation of its new Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) Status Verification Interface (SVI).
The Departmental Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (COAC) held a quarterly meeting on April 2, 2004 in Washington, DC to discuss, and receive updates from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials on various trade and customs issues.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a notice announcing that it is reopening until May 14, 2004 the comment period for its interim final rule on prior notice of imported food shipments.
FDA and CBP to Examine Whether FDA's PN Timeframes Can be the Same as CBPs Advance Cargo Information
Timeframes
On March 24, 2004, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a hearing on the state of maritime security, focusing on the impact of security efforts on maritime commerce, and the additional measures that may be needed to further enhance maritime transportation security.
On March 24, 2004, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a hearing on the state of maritime security, focusing on the impact of security efforts on maritime commerce, and the additional measures that may be needed to further enhance maritime transportation security.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) 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 (COAC) will be held on April 2, 2004 in Washington, DC. (This committee was previously called the "Treasury Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of the U.S. Customs Service.")
At the March 3, 2004 Joint Industry Group Annual Meeting, the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS') Border and Transportation (BTS) Director of Cargo and Trade Policy outlined its three goals for the next 12 months with regard to cargo security. Components of these goals include, among other things, identifying and filling in remaining gaps in security, possibly fully launching Smart Box, and developing a Threat and Vulnerability Process.
The Departmental Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (COAC) held a quarterly meeting on February 6, 2004 in Washington, DC to discuss, and receive updates from Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials on, various customs and trade issues.