Despite the near elimination of an account for ACE development in the proposed fiscal year 2018 budget (see 1705230031), CBP is requesting additional funding for ensuring the system continues to operate smoothly, according to its FY 2018 budget justification (here). The proposed budget includes an “increase of $45.1 million” in FY 2018 for “ACE Core Functionality,” including funding for additional “software sustainment teams.” CBP is also requesting substantial increases in funding required to implement mandates in the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015.
CBP will lead implementation of President Donald Trump’s March 31 executive order addressing unpaid antidumping and countervailing duties (see 1703310076), the agency said in a fact sheet (here). The executive order (here) designates the Department of Homeland Security as the head government entity to develop plans by June 29 to require importers deemed a risk to U.S. revenue to “provide security” for AD and CV duty liability through bonds and “other legal measures”; to start implementing a strategy to counter violations of U.S. trade and customs laws; and to interdict and dispose of inadmissible merchandise. Interdiction and disposal plans would include “methods other than seizure,” according to the executive order.
First-time importers and importers delinquent on antidumping and countervailing duties may be subject to enhanced bonding and “other legal measures,” under an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on March 31 (here).
CBP posted its fiscal year 2016 Performance and Accountability Report (here) on March 7. The document, released annually, includes an overview of recent CBP activities, an update on whether CBP is meeting its objectives, and the agency’s financial statements. For the first time in four years, CBP met its goal for the percentage of cargo imported by members of trade partnership programs, with 53% of cargo imported by members. The 2015 report had set a goal of 54% of cargo imported by trade partnership program participants, and found 52.2% was imported by members (see 1604060023). At the end of FY 2016, the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism program had 12,083 participants and 11,506 certified partners, CBP said. The agency missed its goal of collecting 100% of revenue, having collected 99.06% in FY 2016. CBP did meet its goal of 97.5% of imports being compliant with trade laws, posting a 99.18% compliance rate, it said.
International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for Feb. 6-10 in case they were missed.
The Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) for CBP will next meet March 1 in Washington, CBP said in a notice (here).
CBP can’t determine the extent to which Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) program members receive benefits because of inaccurate data, and can't be sure members always receive the benefits CBP has publicized, the Government Accountability Office said in a report released Feb. 8 (here). CBP data on import-related actions, such as processing times and examination and hold rates, collected through its Dashboard data reporting tool is inaccurate and unreliable, preventing the agency from assessing the extent members see benefits like reduced likelihood of examinations, the report says. CBP has “likely relied” on questionable data since it developed the dashboard in 2012, and can’t be assured that C-TPAT members have consistently been given the outlined benefits, the GAO said.
CBP posted an agenda (here) and other documents for the upcoming Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) meeting on Nov. 17 (here) in Washington. Among the posted items are draft recommendations from the forced labor working group (here) that suggest regulatory changes should be made to define when CBP must decide to make a formal finding after a withhold release order is issued. Currently, CBP's regulations don't specify timing, so "CBP should establish an appropriate timeframe to respond to an importer’s proof of admissibility as a result of a WRO," the group said. The agency should also make changes to proof of admissibility requirements in the regulations and seek comments on any changes, it said.
NEW YORK -- The Centers of Excellence and Expertise are working closely with the Office of Regulatory Audit as it increasingly uses surveys to explore potential areas of compliance problems, said Todd Owen, CBP executive assistant commissioner, Office of Field Operations, Nov. 9 at the Apparel Importers Trade and Transportation Conference. Through the CEEs, "we look at all the disciplines that touch a company" so "there is that level of communication between the account managers, the import specialists and the auditors as we're going forward with this approach," he said. CBP is using “informed compliance” letters and questionnaires sent to importers as part of a broader shift toward the use of audit surveys in the agency’s compliance verification activities (see 1608090024).
The Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) for CBP will next meet Nov. 17 in Washington, CBP said in a notice (here).