Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism Trade Compliance partners in good standing may have access to a new benefit, CBP says: the use of a foreign-trade zone to store goods subject to possible forced labor enforcement action.
Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT)
The Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) is a CBP trusted trader program which focuses on improving private companies' security regarding supply chains and reducing threats from terrorism.
Companies join C-TPAT voluntarily, making an agreement to work with CBP to protect supply chains, identify potential security gaps, and implement best practices insecurity measures. Applicants to C-TPAT must address a range of security concerns and create action plans to increase security throughout the supply chain.
C-TPAT members are considered lower risk when importing goods into the U.S., and are therefore less likely to be face exams at a port of entry.
CBP plans to expand its presence in Laredo, Texas, by opening a Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) office, according to Peter Touhy, director of the Miami C-TPAT field office within CBP’s Office of Field Operations.
Seko Logistics will still pursue its lawsuit challenging CBP's suspension of the company from Type 86 filing and the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism, despite CBP's conditional reinstatement of the customs broker, according to a June 4 statement from the company. The Chicago-area customs broker and freight forwarder says CBP still hasn’t fully provided its reasons for Seko’s initial suspension.
The Senate recently passed a bill that would set up a pilot program for non-asset-based third-party logistics providers and warehouses to participate in the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism program. The CTPAT Pilot Program Act of 2023 would require that CBP run the pilot program for 20 3PLs in total, of which 10 will be non-asset-based and 10 others will be entities that manage and execute logistics services with their “own warehousing assets and resources on behalf of its customers.” Both warehousing companies and non-asset-based 3PLs currently aren't allowed to join CTPAT.
Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Tom Carper, D-Del., introduced a bill that would create a pilot program under the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) for third party logistics providers. The bill is similar to one that was introduced last year in the House (see 2203010076).
A recent CBP seizure of about $1.1 billion worth of cocaine aboard a Mediterranean Shipping Company ship has the company working to regain its status in the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism program, MSC said an advisory to its customers. MSC said its CTPAT certification was suspended and not revoked. CBP seized the cocaine on the MSC Gayane while it was at the Philadelphia seaport, the agency said in a June 21 news release.
CBP is seeking comments by May 20 on an existing information collection for applications for Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) and the Trusted Trader Program, it said in a notice. CBP proposes to extend the expiration date of this information collection by 60 days with no change to the information collected or to the estimated burden hours associated with the collection.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published its fall 2018 regulatory agenda for CBP. The agenda includes a new mention of a proposed rulemaking involving Privacy Act exemptions for some information collected through the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT). "In this proposed rulemaking, the Department proposes to exempt portions of the system of records from one or more provisions of the Privacy Act because of criminal, civil, and administrative enforcement requirements," CBP said. The agency is aiming to issue the proposal in February, it said.
CBP posted updated Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism Minimum Security Criteria to the CTPAT portal and is seeking comments from CTPAT members, CBP said in a document posted ahead of the Aug. 1 Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) meeting. "In late July, CTPAT Members received an email from the program outlining the key elements of the socialization strategy -- including the development of Workbooks for each of the entities eligible for CTPAT membership which have been uploaded to the CTPAT Portal; the delivery of live webinars; and an agenda outlining a series of workshops that are being delivered throughout the United States by CTPAT field personnel," CBP said.
The Department of Homeland Security is seeking comments on the “Beyond the Border” Action Plan announced by President Obama and Prime Minister Harper on December 7, 2011. The plan, which sets specific actions and dates, is one of the agreed steps to help the two countries realize the goal of a “perimeter approach” to security and economic competiveness declared by the two leaders in February 2011.