U.S. Customs and Border Protection is announcing a December 4, 2011 free webinar for rail and sea carriers titled: Navigating ACE for Rail and Sea Carriers: How to Get the Most Out of Your Portal Account. The webinar will provide a walk-through of the available capabilities on each portal tab including in-bond authorization, ocean conveyances, assigning access privileges, references and tips and tricks on effectively managing the account. Attendees will be able to follow along in their own account should they choose to do so. The time of the webinar is 1:00 -2:30 p.m. Eastern time. See notice for details of registration. (CSMS #11-000301, dated 12/05/11)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is requesting comments by February 3, 2012, on an existing information collection concerning the Declaration of Owner (CBP Form 3347) and Declaration of Consignee When Entry is Made by an Agent (CBP Form 3347A). CBP states that it is proposing to extend the expiration date of this information collection, without change to the forms or the burden hours.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a press release stating that it and the European Union Taxation and Customs Union Directorate have agreed to language for the U.S.-EU Mutual Recognition Decision that will lead to its signing in the Spring of 2012. Once signed, the Mutual Recognition Decision will recognize the respective trade partnership programs of the U.S. and the EU—CBP’s Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism and the EU’s Authorized Economic Operator—with reciprocal benefits. (See ITT's Online Archives 11120107 for summary of EU releases stating that mutual recognition was expected by July 2012.)

A listing of recent antidumping and countervailing duty messages posted to U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Web site as of December 5, 2011, along with the case number(s) and CBP message number, is provided below. These messages are available by searching on the listed CBP message number at http://addcvd.cbp.gov.

In the November 30, 2011 issue of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (Vol. 45, No. 49), CBP published two notices that propose to revoke two rulings and similar treatment regarding the tariff classification of frozen crème brulee and nickel bolts.

On November 16, 2011, U.S. Customs and Border Protection took its trade mission to Congress, showcasing the agency’s multifaceted trade, international and agriculture programs at the second annual International Trade Capitol Hill Day. CBP officials explained to Capitol Hill staffers that “textiles account for five percent of imports and 43 percent of duty revenues collected,” as well as the agency’s efforts to validate the security of importers’ global supply chains to ensure national security and expedite trade. International partnerships that facilitate much of international trade were also highlighted. CBP was joined at the event by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

On December 1, 2011, U.S. Customs and Border Commissioner Alan Bersin met for the first time with the Global Air Cargo Advisory Group, a newly established organization comprised of four international air transport trade associations (including the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations), in order to discuss their most pressing concerns, including their interest in driving down costs and attaining group efficiencies.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a CSMS message announcing the issuance of Harmonized System Update 1107. This update contains 28,916 Automated Broker Interface records and 4,758 harmonized tariff records.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement have issued the following news releases:

A listing of recent antidumping and countervailing duty messages posted to CBP's Web site as of December 2, 2011, along with the case number(s) and CBP message number, is provided below. These messages are available by searching on the listed CBP message number at http://addcvd.cbp.gov.