An EU-U.S. trade agreement should have clear compliance measures and not leave industry arguing with customs officials about the “spirit” of the agreement after it’s finalized, said the American Association of Exporters and Importers. The international trade association, which represents all sectors of the industry, sent a letter requesting time for an oral statement at next month’s U.S.-EU High Level Regulatory Cooperation Forum open meeting (see 13030629).
Transplace Mexico was approved for Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism certification by CBP, said Transplace in a press release. This is the second C-TPAT certification for Transplace, a transportation management services company, it said. A related company, Transplace International, was approved for C-TPAT in 2008, it said.
The planned changes to the 19 CFR Part 111 regulations that govern customs brokers are still several stages away from implementation, said Elena Ryan, acting director of Trade Facilitation and Administration at CBP, who is overseeing the process for the agency. Ryan declined to put a time frame on the expected changes, but said the rulemaking process can sometimes be a multi-year process. While some of the discussed changes are more contentious than others, the update will be part of a single rulemaking, rather than piece by piece changes, she said in an interview.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is proposing to exempt certain information collected through the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) from the Privacy Act, DHS said in a notice of proposed rulemaking. The Privacy Act applies to information that is in a ''system of records,'' and requires approval from an individual to allow for the release of personally identifiable information,. The Privacy Act also allows government agencies to exempt certain records from the access provisions, but requires a notice of proposed rulemaking beforehand.
CBP posted a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) that outline the procedures and benefits of the mutual recognition program between the U.S. and the European Union. The program was recently implemented and is said to allow for better risk analysis through acceptance of the respective trusted trader programs -- Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) in the U.S. and Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) in the E.U. The FAQs say neither C-TPAT nor AEO customs brokers will directly benefit.
CBP released several documents outlining the agency's plans and expectations for operations following the budget cuts that took effect March 1. The agency will allow for operations as usual for Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) and the Air Cargo Advance Screening (ACAS), the agency said. CBP has said it will continue to keep security, including radiation portal monitors, as a top priority during the cuts, but that trade processing could see major delays as a result of CBP furlough and cuts to overtime expenses. A list of CBP's trade priorities following sequestration is (here).
As technology rapidly changes the role of customs brokers, "importers and exporters will be increasingly dependent on brokers to provide data management, advice on valuation and classification, and to be the gateway to CBP programs," according to a new report on the role of brokers produced by the Pacific Coast Council of Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders (PCC). The report was submitted to Deputy Commissioner David Aguilar as part of its discussion with CBP policymakers over recent months on issues on the Role of the Broker.
A “multitude” of issues can trigger a Consumer Product Safety Commission inspection, but the commission also sees “a lot of problems that are really avoidable, but that create a delay,” said Carol Cave, director of import surveillance at CPSC. Cave spoke at the International Consumer Product Health and Safety Organization’s (ICPHSO) Annual Meeting and Training Symposium Feb. 27. CPSC has been working with CBP to regulate consumer products at the port, she said, and getting entry documentation right can mean avoiding the pitfalls that delay entry.
CBP announced the location and agenda for the next meeting of the Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations (COAC), March 6 at 1 p.m. (ET) in Washington, D.C. Online registration for webcast and in-person participation is available through March 4, said a Feb. 19 notice.
CBP and the European Union said a mutual recognition decision between CBP’s Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) program and the EU’s Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) program was fully implemented, effective Jan. 31. The agreement makes it easier for C-TPAT members to export to EU member states, and includes lower risk score and fewer exams. CBP said.