Trade Associations Ask DHS to Keep ITDS a Top Priority
The Department of Homeland Security should continue to prioritize efforts toward completing the International Trade Data System, a group of trade associations said in a letter to DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson (here). "Modernizing these government processes allows affected agencies to streamline operations and eliminate unnecessary time and costs from inefficient programs and procedures while protecting our borders," said the groups, including the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Business Alliance for Customs Modernization. "To ensure accountability, the appropriate metrics should be established and we recommend the creation of an implementation committee with equal representation from industry and government to move forward with 21st century solutions."
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The associations urged the agency to meet the 2016 deadline created by President Barack Obama's executive order last year (see 14021928). "The final ITDS single window should be commercially meaningful, and show immediate benefits for businesses of all sizes," the groups said. "This comprehensive system should simplify trade for companies by decreasing the cost of competing in the global marketplace and set a new global standard for how a 21st Century supply chain and import/export regimes should function. Streamlining and modernization of compliance burdens and expenses will make U.S. companies more competitive."