Three cities in Texas were tentatively selected for the Donation Acceptance Program, said CBP in a news release (here). The cities of El Paso, Donna and Pharr in Texas will "engage in further planning and development activities in coordination with CBP and the U.S. General Services Administration" as part of the program, said CBP. CBP began accepting donation proposals last year for the program, which allows the agency to accept donations from the private sector and other government agencies to develop its port infrastructure (see 14100216). This authority provides an alternate method for CBP to fund the infrastructure needed to facilitate the growing volume of international trade and travel to the United States that is so vital to the U.S. economy,” said CBP Commissioner Gil Kerlikowske.

A Federal Register notice from CBP (here) details the plans for processing of Generalized System of Preferences refunds for eligible claims submitted while the program had lapsed. The notice includes much of the same information as released by the agency earlier this month (see 1507210023). The GSP reauthorization allows for retroactive benefits to be applied to eligible goods entered after July 31, 2013 through July 28. CBP plans to begin automated processing of GSP refunds on entries that included a GSP indicator "shortly after the effective date," which is July 29, it said. Duty-free treatment of GSP-eligible imports will also resume on July 29, CBP has said.

Customs officials from the U.S. and Mexico conducted a three-day anti-counterfeiting training exercise in Mexico City from July 20 to 22 (here). ICE's Homeland Security Investigations Attaché Office in Mexico City, the HSI-led National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) and Mexico’s Tax Administration Service collectively hosted the assembly. The training discussions featured discussions of law enforcement on the identification, interdiction, investigation and prosecution of IPR violations. Legal and law enforcement aspects of IPR enforcement, commercial fraud, IPR-related cyber investigations and trade-based money laundering were additional topics discussed, said ICE. “Collaborative training is critical to our binational fight against those behind intellectual property rights violations,” said U.S. Ambassador to Mexico E. Anthony Wayne. “This is not a victimless crime. Every day there are unsuspecting customers buying fake medicine, car parts, circuit breakers, and many other types of substandard material. We must continue our efforts to eradicate this global problem,” he said.

CBP officers in Miami intercepted 2,167 counterfeit televisions, worth a total of $610,400 at the manufacturer suggested retail prices, said CBP (here). "CBP suspected the TVs were counterfeit, as CBP officers observed possible infringing recorded MHL and HDMI trademarks," said CBP. The TVs originated from China, the agency said.

CBP will extend its Air Cargo Advance Screening (ACAS) pilot, which allows for early filing of cargo data, for another year through July 26, 2016, the agency said (here). The extension will allow "the broader air cargo community to participate and prepare for a potential regulatory regime in a pilot environment," it said. "CBP would also like to ensure continuity in the flow of advance air cargo security information as the rulemaking process progresses." CBP has extended the pilot several times, most recently last year (see 14072515). Timing for the long-expected proposed rulemaking for ACAS remains unclear (see 1501080016). CBP will reopen the pilot, with new applications due Oct. 26.

CBP made some changes in its draft Automated Commercial Environment business process document (here). CBP recently posted a first draft last month and requested industry comments (see 1505180010). The processes document is expected to function as the "cornerstone" for both the trade and port personnel (see 1504270018).

CBP released its July 22 Customs Bulletin (Vol. 49, No. 29) (here). While it does not contain any rulings, it does include recent CBP notices and Court of International Trade decisions.

CBP will again allow for duty-free processing Generalized System of Preferences claims through the Automated Commercial Environment and Automated Commercial System beginning at 7 a.m. on July 29, the agency said. (here). The program was recently renewed after a multi-year lapse and CBP released guidance on procedures for past and future GSP claims (see 1507210023).

CBP posted its draft agenda and some other agency documents (here) for the upcoming Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of Customs and Border Protection (COAC) meeting on July 29. The COAC will likely make some recommendations related to the planned transition date for the Automated Commercial Environment (see 1507150063), though no such recommendations were posted as of press time.

CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related issues: