CBP is in the process of internally organizing a number of areas of the coming Trusted Trader pilot as the test nears its start, said Michael Denning, acting executive director, Cargo and Conveyance Security, during the Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations (COAC) meeting on Oct. 7. CBP has selected and started to notify accepted applicants for the Trusted Trader pilot, he said. The pilot, which will test a combined CBP’s Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) supply chain security program with the Importer Self Assessment (ISA) import compliance program, was announced in June (see 14061320).
U.S. Steel hired Debbie Shon, as vice president, international trade and global public policy, the company said in a press release. Shon will handle international trade strategy and manage all trade enforcement actions from the company's Washington office, it said. Shon was previously a managing director of a real estate company and Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Liaison during the Clinton administration.
Fred Higdon, executive director of the Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of Northern California died suddenly on Oct. 4, following a brief illness, said the association. Higdon, 74, was executive director since 2008.
The Federal Maritime Commission is seeking comment on its heavily revised proposed rulemaking on Ocean Transport Intermediaries (here). While the original proposal (see 13053031) was a source of concern for the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America (see 13041004), the updated version strips out a number of the controversial pieces of the rule (see 14092217). Comments are due Dec. 12.
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related issues:
Despite an Aug. 31 expiration date listed on CBP Form 434 for NAFTA Certificate of Origin, "the trade may continue to use this document or a substantially similar, alternate version," said CBP in a CSMS message. "CBP will post the reapproved CBP Form 434 as soon as it becomes available."
CBP posted a set of documents related to the agency's Oct. 1 update to the Focused Assessment program. The documents include presentations on the updated program (here) and on transitioning to the Importer Self-Assessment program (here). CBP also posted the updated portions -- Pre-Assessment Survey Questionnaire (here) and Audit Program (here) -- of the Focused Assessment kit that are effective for new Pre-Assessment Surveys started on or after Oct. 1. CBP will hold an Oct. 9 webinar to provide details on the updates (see 14100110).
CBP is continuing to work on how to structure the planned customs broker continuing education requirements, said Troy Riley, executive director of Commercial Targeting and Enforcement at CBP. Riley spoke briefly on the subject during the Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations (COAC) meeting on Oct. 7. There's been a number of discussions on "what type of models should even be considered," he said. "There's been a discussion on a board of directors model, a market model," and consideration of how the Department of Education and Council for Higher Education Accreditation have handled accreditation, he said. There has not been a decision on where to go "just yet," he said. The question of how to handle continuing education accreditation has been a difficult issue as the agency works toward adding requirements (see 14041002).
International Trade Today is upgrading its website. When you log into www.internationaltradetoday.com on Oct. 14 you will see a new home page design. However, once you’re logged in, the content, navigation and ease of use will remain largely the same. As part of the site upgrade, we’re adopting more rigorous site security protocols. This creates the need to reset all existing passwords. Watch for an email Oct. 13 with a new randomly generated password and instructions for changing it. We hope you like the coming changes.
Reed Smith recently hired customs lawyer John Donohue, previously with Clark Hill, as counsel in the firm's Philadelphia office.