CBP is requesting comments by April 12 for an existing information collection for entry/immediate delivery applications and Simplified Entry. CBP proposes to extend the expiration date of this information collection without a change to the burden hours or to the information collected.
The release of trade information that had been requested to be kept confidential was the result of improper data entry by users and not CBP programming or systems error, the agency said in a CSMS message. CBP said it received numerous complaints from importers/consignees regarding specific data (namely, party/shipper/consignee name and address) that was released despite their submitted requests for confidentiality.
CBP posted a timeline for planned capabilities for the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE). Plans for 2013 include:
CBP issued a Jan. 31 directive to the agency's field offices about the processing and reporting of quota-class merchandise. The directive specifically provides information on determining the time of presentation of the entry summary, which establishes quota priority and status, it said. The directive points to the regulations from 19 CFR Sections 132, 141, and 24 to give guidance on the reporting of quota-class merchandise.
Trade associations focused on customs and other importer issues spent relatively little in Q4 of 2012, according to public lobbying records. Several groups that are heavily involved in policy-making for customs issues don't spend nearly as much as some of the major companies that are involved in the issues, the records show. For instance, the American Association for Exporters and Importers (AAEI) and the U.S. Association of Importers of Textiles and Apparel (USA-ITA) combined spent less than $10,000 for lobbying in Q4, the records show. Lobbying toward improved enforcement for antidumping/countervailing duties (AD/CVD) was among the issues that gained in attention, the filings show.
The potential impact of sequestration on trade, resolving some issues involving security screening of cargo, and dealing with some trucking issues are likely to be the main government policy focus of air forwarders in 2013, said Airforwarders Association Executive Director Brandon Fried in an interview with us and a speech Jan. 31 at Air Cargo 2013 in New York City.
CBP posted an updated document describing ACE e-Manifest: Trucks that now includes information on data sharing with the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration (FMCSA). CBP said truck manifest data on ACE e-Manifest is being shared with FMCSA for prearrival safety checks. CBP said "the agencies are currently evaluating both the system data and functionality for any issues prior to sending status messages to the trade from ACE issues prior to sending status messages to the trade from ACE."
CBP provided a broad outline of the agency's goals for progress on the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE). The agency will be especially focused on Automated Corrections/Deletions; the Partner Government Agency (PGA) Message Set; and the first phase of Initial Entry Summary edits.
An update to the widely disparate customs regulations in the U.S. and abroad would make for significant cost savings, even more so than the relaxation of tariffs, said panelists Jan. 31 who spoke at an event on reducing supply chain barriers. The event, hosted by the Washington International Trade Association, focused on the findings of a recent World Bank report that said the lowering of supply chain barriers would be of a greater benefit to international trade than tariff removal alone. The World Bank report is available (here).
CBP posted a record of changes for January to the ACE ABI CATAIR (Customs and Trade Automated Interface Requirements). The changes were to Appendix G (ACE ABI Condition Codes and Narrative Text), the ACE ABI CATAIR Error Dictionary, and the Entry Summary Create/Update chapter. The change log is (here). The full CATAIR is (here). The Appendix G is (here). The ACE ABI CATAIR Error Dictionary is (here). The Entry Summary Create/Update Chapter is (here).