Customs Rulings Online Search System (CROSS) was updated Oct. 17 with 122 rulings, bringing the total number of searchable rulings to 179,216. The most recent ruling is dated 09/27/2013.

The Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General listed only a small number of trade-related issues it is planning to look at during the fiscal year as part of DHS' annual performance plan. The DHS plan includes numerous planned projects for the agencies that are part of DHS, including CBP and ICE.

Joint efforts by CBP and ICE in the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center along with "coordination with U.S. interagency, foreign government, and industry partners" have produced a record number of IPR seizures, based on manufacturers' suggested retail prices, for fiscal year 2013, CBP said in its trade newsletter. The IPR Center is projecting $1.8 billion in manufacturers' suggested retail price in IPR seizures for FY 2013, which ended Sept. 30.

CBP posted an Oct. 15 version of its CF 1400 (Record of Vessel in Foreign Trade Entrances) electronic query report of the Vessel Management System (VMS), in accordance with 19 CFR 4.95, organized by entrances. CBP also posted a version of its CF 1401 (Record of Vessel in Foreign Trade Clearances) electronic query report of the VMS, in accordance with 19 CFR 4.95, organized by clearances.

CBP postponed the East Coast Trade Symposium scheduled for Oct. 24-25 in Washington, D.C. as a result of the ongoing government shutdown, the agency said. "The protracted lapse in appropriations has significantly impacted our ability to prepare for and commit the resources necessary to hold the event as planned," it said. "Although we were hopeful that the appropriations issues would be resolved by now, and we would be able to proceed as planned, this is no longer possible. We are committed to hosting the event at a later date, and look forward to announcing the new dates for this event as soon as possible." CBP will be refunding registration fees once the shutdown is finished, it said.

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

CBP posted a Oct. 6 version of its CF 1400 (Record of Vessel in Foreign Trade Entrances) electronic query report of the Vessel Management System (VMS), in accordance with 19 CFR 4.95, organized by entrances. CBP also posted a version of its CF 1401 (Record of Vessel in Foreign Trade Clearances) electronic query report of the VMS, in accordance with 19 CFR 4.95, organized by clearances.

CBP headquarters will allow for the release of shipments subject to tariff rate quotas at the lower duty rate that opened Oct. 1, said CBP's New York office of field operations in an informational pipeline. The decision is a result of the federal government shutdown, the notice said.

Former Acting CBP Commissioner David Aguilar joined Global Security and Intelligence Strategies (GSIS) as a partner in April, a GSIS spokeswoman said. Aguilar retired from his post at the end of March and was replaced by current Acting Commissioner Thomas Winkowski (see 13040115). Aguilar now "advises clients on a broad range of national homeland and international security matters including border operations, security management, global trade and commerce, supply chain management and security, critical infrastructure protection, risk management, viability assessments and strategic planning and implementation," according to GSIS.

CBP said Oct. 4 it would delay its deployment for a number of new Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) features planned on Oct. 5. "CBP is monitoring the situation for developments and will continue to do so until funding is put in place to re-open the government," it said in a CSMS message. "CBP is ready to deploy and will ensure the Trade Community receives advanced notification of any decision to deploy." The CBP announcement followed a National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America notice saying the deployment would be put off (see 13100417).