International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for Sept. 24-28 in case they were missed.
CBP released a list of eight Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) benefits being considered as part of the Trusted Trader pilot that combines trade compliance with security standards ahead of the Oct. 3 Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) meeting. The list includes eight program benefits that were "prioritized based on their feasibility of implementation and impact to industry" and were part of a document from CBP on the COAC Trusted Trader Subcommittee. CBP has previously discussed some benefits being considered, including expedited rulings and an identify theft program (see 1808170003). Other possible benefits include "penalty mitigation/offset," "reconciliation" and "exemption from random" nonintrusive inspections.
CBP is "conducting integration testing to prove compatibility of a blockchain platform with multiple partner systems," according to an update from the emerging technologies working group ahead of the Oct. 3 Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) meeting. CBP began an initial "proof of concept" in September as the agency considers the potential for the distributed ledger technology (see 1808200040). "Portions of the NAFTA / CAFTA import process, specifically verification of intellectual property and relationships between licensees and licensors, have been identified as good candidates for improvement if a transition to a more digitized, decentralized system is undertaken," it said.
CBP signed a Mutual Recognition Agreement with Peru during the agency's Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism conference on Sept. 12. The agreement allows CBP to consider involvement in Peru's Authorised Economic Operator program as similar to participating in the CTPAT program. The event was closed to the press but Mohawk Global Trade Advisors tweeted about the signing. CBP didn't comment. Among other happenings mentioned in tweets from the CTPAT conference is that Canada will update its Partners in Protection and Customs Self Assessment programs. New eligibility criteria are in the works, as is a new compliance regime with "tiered benefits," Integration Point tweeted.
The Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) for CBP will next meet Oct. 3 in Washington, CBP said in a notice.
International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for Aug. 13-17 in case they were missed.
ATLANTA -- The new agricultural security criteria within the updated Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) Minimum Security Criteria "is probably the most controversial," said Liz Schmelzinger, CTPAT director at CBP, during a panel discussion at the CBP 2018 Trade Symposium on Aug. 15. "I was told 'slugs are not terrorists,'" she said. Having cargo stopped due to agricultural issues is very expensive and time-consuming, she said. CBP recently began circulating proposed MSC updates to CTPAT members through the CTPAT portal (see 1807300011).
International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for July 30 - Aug. 3 in case they were missed.
CBP posted updated Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism Minimum Security Criteria to the CTPAT portal and is seeking comments from CTPAT members, CBP said in a document posted ahead of the Aug. 1 Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) meeting. "In late July, CTPAT Members received an email from the program outlining the key elements of the socialization strategy -- including the development of Workbooks for each of the entities eligible for CTPAT membership which have been uploaded to the CTPAT Portal; the delivery of live webinars; and an agenda outlining a series of workshops that are being delivered throughout the United States by CTPAT field personnel," CBP said.
CBP Commissioner Kevin McAleenan highlighted some planned additional benefits to participation in the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism program, in prepared remarks for the July 18 Senate Finance International Trade Subcommittee hearing on U.S. ports and trade. The ongoing transitioning of the Importer Self-Assessment program into CTPAT Trade Compliance "includes the extensive development of new benefits," he said. CBP has a loose deadline of the end of 2018 for transitioning ISA participants into CTPAT (see 1709070010), and a phased rollout of new CTPAT standards is expected to begin in October (see 1806070058).