U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a new document entitled “Guidance on Entry Deletion and Entry or Entry Summary Cancellation” in order to provide uniform national procedures for requesting such actions in ACS and ACE, and for requesting entry substitutions for EIP/RLF and at land border ports. The Guidance includes a deletion/cancellation worksheet and also discusses liquidated damages.
The Office of Textiles and Apparel has issued a notice on new regulations issued recently by the Brazilian government aimed at reducing illegal and irregular imports of apparel and textiles. Other new measures would also affect shoes and furniture.
On August 30-31, 2011, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Bersin and senior CBP staff held roundtable discussions with members of the trade community for a periodic "Trade Day" event, with participants including textile importer, surety, trucking, airport and other groups. During the dialog, USA-ITA discussed CBP's textile enforcement strategy, including the need to recognize good actors, and the association's interest in a textiles Center for Excellence and Expertise (CEE).
On August 18, 2011, CBP and other officials presented their draft proposals for modeling new simplified entry, summary, and financial processes for imports at a COAC1 meeting, achieving their first project milestone on time. Finalized models are due by September 16, with a final report and proposal slated for delivery on September 30.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a fact sheet and presentation on the work being done to model simplified entry and financial processes for imports, as called for by Commissioner Bersin, who asked industry and government to consider how import trade processes can be re-engineered to meet the technological needs of the 21st century. CBP hopes to pilot these models in fiscal year 2012.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection plans to conduct a National Customs Automation Program1 pilot test for the in-bond highway transit of commercial goods through the U.S. from one point in Canada to another point in Canada. The test will be for nine carriers only and will commence no earlier than July 13, 2011. Comments may be submitted at any time during the test period.
The European Union issued the following trade-related releases on April 28, 2011:
The World Customs Organization reports that WCO Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya recently visited the port of Durres Tirana, Albania and met the Customs management team, the Prime Minister and political leaders to discuss Customs modernization. Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha attributed a high priority in the national agenda to Customs reform, and the government had prepared a new draft Customs Code in line with international standards. Based on this progress, Secretary General Mikuriya encouraged accession to WCO instruments, including the Revised Kyoto Convention.
The European Union issued the following trade-related releases on April 14, 2011:
On February 23, 2011, 11 trade organizations, including AAEI, NCBFAA, NRF and the Chamber of Commerce1 sent a letter to Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D) and Senator Orrin Hatch (R), in support of the confirmation of Alan Bersin as CBP Commissioner. If Bersin is not confirmed before the end of 2011, his term of office will expire.