CBP is seeking comments by Feb. 7 on an existing information collection for free entry of returned American products, it said in a notice. CBP proposes to extend the expiration date of this information collection with no change to the information collected or to the estimated burden hours associated with the collection.
The Treasury Department published its fall 2017 regulatory agenda for CBP. The agenda doesn't include any new rulemakings involving trade. Previously listed rulemakings, including a proposal to update to the (a)(1)(A) list of records required for the entry of merchandise and changes to drawback regulations, continue to be on the agenda. The Department of Homeland Security also issued its regulatory agenda (see 1712150011).
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters:
UPS acquired Sandler & Travis Trade Advisory Services (STTAS) on Nov. 30, UPS said in a Dec. 4 news release. STTAS, the consulting and trade compliance arm of the Sandler Travis law and lobbying firm, "will continue to provide its same services, from the same offices with use of the same personnel," STTAS said in a news release. It will also "continue to serve as a resource" for Sandler Travis "on joint client issues as it has in the past." Terms of the deal weren't disclosed.
CBP provided an update related to coming changes to drawback filing that were part of the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 (see 1603010043). In CBP's November drawback simplification newsletter, the agency mentioned the recent release of new drawback procedures now available in the ACE certification environment for testing and the updated draft Customs and Trade Automated Interface Requirements (CATAIR) (see 1711150046). "After each Sprint review, [the CBP Trade Transformation Office] will conduct Sprint overviews with the [Drawback Working Group] to address technical developments in ACE Drawback programming," CBP said.
Fiscal year 2018 Homeland Security spending legislation released by the Senate Appropriations Committee Nov. 21, directs $38 million to support ACE core functionality and $5 million for ACE enhancements, language that wasn’t included in similar legislation that passed the House in September (see 1709150052). “It is clear that additional system development is needed to continue to facilitate interactions with vendors and importers,” the committee said in an explanatory statement of the bill. Fully automating CBP Form 214 (Application for Foreign-Trade Zone Admission and/or Status Designation) would be an example of such an enhancement, the summary says. CBP plans to roll out FTZ admission capabilities in ACE by Dec. 9 (see 1709110034).
New drawback procedures under the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 are now available in the ACE certification environment for testing, CBP said in a CSMS message. The agency has also updated its draft Customs and Trade Automated Interface Requirements (CATAIR) for TFTEA drawback, it said. “Please be advised that this technical document is considered a DRAFT and is subject to revision before a final version is provided. Any actions a reader takes based on this draft document are taken voluntarily and with the understanding that the draft may be revised,” CBP said in the message.
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The draft drawback CBP and Trade Automated Interface Requirements (CATAIR) “is considered a DRAFT and is subject to revision before a final version is provided,” a CBP spokesman said. “CBP has not issued a proposed rulemaking as of this date and cannot comment on the points raised by NCBFAA,” he said, referring to an update the trade group sent out Nov. 6 on ongoing discussions on ACE drawback (see 1711060043). “The CATAIR will be amended to reflect the policy decisions reflected in the published final rule after considering public comments. NCBFAA is correct that any decision to accept submission of claims as of February 24, 2018, will be separately announced to the public at a later date.” The NCBFAA had said that, beginning Feb. 24, CBP was considering not using accelerated payment for processing claims under the new procedures of the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 until the date that the TFTEA drawback regulations become final.
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