A Central Examination Station operator in the Seattle area is seeking to increase its fees, according to a trade information notice from CBP Seattle. Konoike Pacific California (KPAC) notified the Seattle Port Director of its plans to increase its fees and CBP Seattle now seeks comments on the increase. The Port Director must approve such a fee increase. Comments are due Sept. 21 to CBP Seattle. Contact: Judy Staudt - (206) 553-1720. Email documents@brokerpower.com for
CBP posted an updated version of questions and answers regarding requirements for consolidated monthly entries for pipeline operators and importers. CBP says merchandise transported via pipelines may be processed under the monthly consolidated entry of non-dutiable merchandise procedures as established in a Bureau of Customs Circular dated July 1, 1970 . In accordance with this circular, manifests are to be submitted daily and later consolidated to a monthly entry summary.
CBP posted an updated version of its notice announcing that the next customs broker license exam will be on Wednesday, Oct. 3.
CBP will test giving new authority to directors of the established Centers for Excellence and Expertise (CEEs), it said in a Federal Register notice Aug. 28. The pilot program will allow the CEE directors to have similar authority as port directors as a step towards achieve uniformity in the treatment at ports of entry for certain industries.
CBP's ACEopedia for August 2012 describes a "New ACE Development Strategy." The new "Agile-like" strategy allows for the additions of smaller functionalities to ACE and has been used in deploying Simplified Entry (SE), the Document Image System (DIS) and Participating Government Agency (PGA) Interoperability, said CBP. The new strategy was the biggest change between the new ACEopedia and previous versions. The new ACEopedia doesn't mention the departure of Cindy Allen, the current head of the ACE Business Office.
Damon Pike of the Pike Law Firm, Teresa Polino of Thompson Coburn, and Cyndee Todgham Cherniak of LexSage Professional Corporation were named co-chairs in the American Bar Associations Customs Committee for the 2012-2013 year.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) met Aug. 23 with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba to break down trade barriers and seek new market access for U.S. exporters that would help create American jobs, Baucus' office said in a press release. Sen. Baucus also discussed the possibility of Japan joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations at some point in the future.
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related issues:
CBP extended the comment period by 30 days to Sept. 26 on an existing information collection on user fees. CBP is proposing to extend this information collection with a change to the burden hours or information collected. The notice ran in the Federal Register Aug. 27.
CBP is requesting comments by Sept. 26 for an existing information collection concerning the Application and Approval to Manipulate, Examine, Sample, or Transfer Goods. CBP proposes to extend the expiration date of this information collection without change to the burden hours or information collected. The notice ran in the Federal Register Aug. 27.