CBP said its Harmonized System Update 1401 was created Jan. 6, containing 1,411 ABI records and 236 harmonized tariff records. The update includes Participating Government Agency indicators "that are subject to the PGA message set that will apply to the PGA pilot participants," it said. "The PGA data for the update transactions are stored on the record identifier ‘VL’ (OUTPUT) records. The PGA data for the query transactions are stored on the record identifier ‘WL’ (OUTPUT) records." . Adjustments required by the verification of the 2014 Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) are also included, CBP said in a CSMS message. The modified records can be retrieved electronically via the procedures indicated in the CATAIR. Further information: Jennifer Keeling, Jennifer.Keeling@dhs.gov.

CBP was scheduled to deploy its second piece of Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) under its new "agile" development program on Jan. 4, it said in a fact sheet on its site. The implementation will allow for an expansion of the Simplified Entry pilot. CBP didn't comment.

In the Jan. 2 issue of the CBP Customs Bulletin (Vol. 47, No. 52), CBP published two notices that propose to revoke rulings and similar treatment for the tariff classification of placemat and coaster sets and power distribution units.

CBP completed 2,111 total Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) validations, including 569 initial validations and 1,542 revalidations for 2013 as of Jan. 2, it said in an update on program statistics. Validations continue to be down compared to previous years. There has also been a total of 1,768 suspensions and 1,280 C-TPAT removals.

CBP reminded importers of a change to General Statistical (GSN) Note 3(c) within the 2014 Harmonized Tariff Schedule in a CSMS message. GSN 3(c) was updated in the 2014 HTS to indicate that goods imported under the Civil Aircraft Agreement, Pharmaceutical Agreement and Intermediate Chemicals for Dyes Agreement (SPI “C,” “K,” and “L,” respectively) that are the product of a country with which the U.S. has a free trade agreement (FTA) that provides the MPF exemption can be imported free of merchandise processing fee (MPF) using SPI C#, K#, and L#, even if the FTA’s more stringent origination rules and imported directly rules are not met, the agency said. This applies to all FTAs that provide the MPF exemption (NAFTA, Chile, Singapore, Australia, Israel, Bahrain, Oman, CAFTA, Peru, Korea, Colombia and Panama), it said. The International Trade Commission recently published the new HTS, with most changes taking effect Jan. 1 (see 14010221).

A listing of recent antidumping and countervailing duty messages from the Commerce Department posted to CBP's website Jan. 2, along with the case number(s) and CBP message number, is provided below. The messages are available by searching for the listed CBP message number at addcvd.cbp.gov. (CBP occasionally adds backdated messages without otherwise indicating which message was added. ITT will include a message date in parentheses in such cases.)

In the Jan. 2 issue of the CBP Customs Bulletin (Vol. 47, No. 52), CBP published two notices that propose to revoke rulings and similar treatment for the tariff classification of ballistic jacket plates and thermal transfer ribbons.

Dan Baldwin, executive director, cargo and conveyance security, in CBP's Office of Field Operations, retired from the agency, said industry executives. CBP did not comment.

CBP and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) ended the five-month first phase pre-inspection pilot for truck cargo and found the "concept feasible," said CBP in a press release. The first phase of the pilot, which is part of the "Beyond the Border" initiative, began in June at the Pacific Highway crossing near British Columbia (see 13061821). The first phase is designed as a "proof of concept" for using CBP officers in Canada to pre-inspect trucks, drivers and cargo prior to arrival into the U.S., said CBP. The pilot also looked at the use of "certain technologies and jointly-developed procedures in order to conduct CBP primary truck processing in Canada," the agency said. The next phase will last for a year at the Peace Bridge Crossing in Buffalo, N.Y. beginning this month. Phase II will test the ability of the pre-inspection process to reduce wait times and border congestion, said CBP.

The customs broker’s license examination scheduled for April 2014 will be on Monday, April 7, said CBP in a notice. The four-hour exam consists of 80 multiple-choice questions, with a score of 75 percent required to pass. Exam topics usually include: Entry, Classification, Country of Origin, Trade Agreements, Antidumping/Countervailing Duty, Value, Broker Responsibilities, FP&F, Protests, Marking, Prohibited and Restricted Merchandise, Drawback, Intellectual Property Rights, and other subjects pertinent to a broker's duties. CBP said registration is expected to open for the exam in February.