CBP is undergoing its "own version of a corporate reorganization" as the agency continues work to increase the role of the Centers of Excellence and Expertise, said Deputy Commissioner Kevin McAleenan , who spoke during the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America Government Affairs Conference on Sept. 16. The agency is aligning its staff with how industry is set up, he said. That includes adjustments to the agency's field operations, the Office of Trade and legal counsel, all of which is helping CBP develop a better "compliance and security posture," said McAleenan.
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related issues:
CBP is seeking nine volunteer filers to submit intellectual property rights authenticating data through the Document Image System (DIS), the agency said in Sept. 11 CSMS message. "Approved IPR authentication data may be submitted as documents via a readable PDF attachment to an email," it said. "IPR Authenticating data may be sent by shipment and is open in all shipping modalities. Participants will be chosen on a first come first serve basis and will be selected to ensure a range of non-partnership program industry participants and participation across industry segments, to include those who have previously experienced negative IPR violating exams." CBP hopes the process "may improve IPR targeting efficiencies, reduce the rate of negative IPR exams, facilitate authorized trade and increase CBP port productivity," it said. Within a year, CBP will look at the effect on negative exam rate, said the agency..
CBP is expected to publish a Federal Register notice announcing an export manifest pilot program in "coming weeks," said Elizabeth Merritt, director of cargo services at Airlines for America. Merritt, who also co-chairs the trade subcommittee within the Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations export committee, spoke during the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America Government Affairs Conference on Sept. 15. CBP has said it "is developing automated export manifest functionality for all modes of transportation" and "will be rolled out as pilots over the next year pending publication of final regulation changes removing paper filing as an option and allowing for electronic filing" (here). Export manifest work has progressed in recent months to look at the processes involved, she said. That has allowed the subcommittee to develop some more "detailed" solutions, said Merritt.
Send event information for inclusion in the International Trade Today Calendar toITTNews@warren-news.com.
CBP Commissioner Gil Kerlikowske promoted Brenda Smith, who previously headed up the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) business office at the agency, as assistant commissioner in the Office of International Trade, CBP said in a Sept. 11 press release. Smith takes over for Rich DiNucci, who led the Office of International Trade in an acting capacity since Al Gina retired last year (see 13080802). DiNucci was moved to the Office of Field Operations, where he will be executive director of Cargo Conveyance and Security, said the agency.
CBP is working to fix an internal problem so that this month's importer security filing reports for sureties are available, the agency said. "This issue did not impact filer and importer ISF reports as they have all been uploaded to the ACE portal," said CBP.
CBP posted a fact sheet describing the planned Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism program for exporters. CBP recently posted a list of exporter eligibility requirements for participation in C-TPAT (see 14070921).
CBP released its Sept. 10 Customs Bulletin (Vol. 48, No. 36). While the Bulletin does not contain any ruling articles, it does include recent Court of International Trade decisions.
A notice of proposed rulemaking for the Air Cargo Advance Screening is expected in the spring, though some new concerns have apparently arisen, said the Airforwarders Association (AfA). Although CBP extended the ongoing ACAS pilot program in July (see 14072515), the rulemaking has been in the works for some time. There may be a new wrinkle, though, as there's been some industry support for a “progressive filing model” that "would require forwarders to take more of a role in export filing" instead of the airlines, the AfA said. This "would result in fines associated with incorrect data passing onto the forwarder," it said.