U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted an updated version of its "Bonded Warehouse Manual for Customs and Border Protection Officers and Bonded Warehouse Proprietors," which it states is a comprehensive guide for understanding bonded warehouse operations in the United States. The manual is intended for use by warehouse proprietors, importers, and other parties in the import-export community.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is announcing that it will provide updates on the programming needed for existing and new ACE functionality at a Software Developer Technical Seminar that will be part of a National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA) meeting to be held on March 6-8, 2012 in Arlington, Virginia. CBP states that the seminar will target ocean and rail software developers and ABI participants.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has advised C-TPAT partners that effective March 1, 2012, the current International Organization for Standardization mechanical seal standard (ISO/PAS 17712) will be replaced with a new ISO standard -- ISO 17712:2010. CBP states companies are not expected to discard seals currently in stock. However, after companies have exhausted their current stock of high security seals, the agency recommends that companies purchase seals which are compliant with the new ISO standard.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued the following news releases related to commercial trade and related issues:

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is announcing that the due to the local Mardi Gras Holiday, the Port of New Orleans office (Port Code 2002) will be closed for business on Tuesday, February 21, 2012. Filers with businesses located in or have filed (RLF) entries in New Orleans will be granted an additional day without penalty for late-filed entries or payment of duties that would become due on February 21, 2012. The new due date for payment of duties will be February 22, 2012. Questions should be directed to Merlin Hymel APD, Trade New Orleans, LA (504) 670-2088. (CSMS #12-000038, dated 02/07/12)

This summary report highlights the most active textile and apparel tariff preference levels¹ from U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s “Quota Weekly Commodity Status Report.” It also lists the TRQ commodities on CBP’s weekly “TRQ/TPL Threshold to Fill List.”

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted an updated version of its TRQ/TPL "threshold to fill" list, a quick reference to monitor TRQs and TPLs that are approaching their restraint limit or have filled their in-quota (low) rate. The list is divided into two sections: those that are at least 85% filled and those that are filled.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued its weekly tariff rate quota and tariff preference level commodity report as of February 6, 2012.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a press release to announce the release of a new, updated version of the Bonded Warehouse Manual for CBP officers and Bonded Warehouse Proprietors, which will replace the 1990 version.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is requesting comments by April 9, 2012 on an existing information collection requirement, the Application for Extension of Bond for Temporary Importation (CBP Form 3173). CBP proposes to extend the expiration date of this form with no change to the burden hours or to the form itself.