CBP made some major changes in its timeline for requiring use of the Automated Commercial Environment, allowing for Automated Commercial System filing several months beyond the original mandatory use date, the agency said Aug. 31 (here). The original Nov. 1 deadline will now begin a "transition period" where use of ACE is "encouraged," with more ACE requirements phased in through July. The changes came in response to a number of industry concerns recently lodged with CBP (see 1507290066 and 1507150063), as well as shifts in resources related to the move to ACE for Air Manifest (see 1506110007). CBP said it still plans to finish the ACE transition by Oct. 1, 2016 (here), ahead of the completion of the International Trade Data System by the end of 2016, as required by a 2014 White House executive order (see 14021928).
Lacey Act
The Lacey Act and subsequent amendments make it unlawful to import, export, transport, sell, receive, or acquire any plant, fish or wildlife obtained in violation of U.S., tribal or foreign law, as well as any injurious wildlife. The law is administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and CBP. APHIS has been implementing Lacey Act declaration requirements since 2009. Lacey Act declarations may be filed by the importer of record or its licensed customs broker, and include information on imported item's species name, value, quantity, and country where it was harvested.
CBP said it created Harmonized System Update (HSU) 1506 on Aug. 24, containing 10,074 ABI records and 1,696 harmonized tariff records. The update includes the addition of Partner Government Agency indicators for future Lacey Act submissions, said CBP (here). Adjustments required for the verification of the 2015 Harmonized Tariff Schedule are also included, CBP said in a CSMS message. The modified records can be retrieved electronically via the procedures indicated in the CATAIR. Further information: Jennifer Keeling, Jennifer.Keeling@dhs.gov.
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related issues:
CBP said its Harmonized System Update (HSU) 1505 was created Aug. 18, containing 2,229 ABI records and 304 harmonized tariff records. The update includes the addition of Partner Government Agency indicators for future Lacey Act submissions, said CBP (here). It also includes changes due to the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015 (see 1506290045). Adjustments required for the verification of the 2015 Harmonized Tariff Schedule are also included, CBP said in a CSMS message. The modified records can be retrieved electronically via the procedures indicated in the CATAIR. Further information: Jennifer Keeling, Jennifer.Keeling@dhs.gov.
International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for Aug. 3-7 in case they were missed.
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related issues:
The Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and Agricultural Marketing Service are soliciting participants for pilot programs testing filing and release through the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE). The APHIS pilot (here) will test the electronic submission of Lacey Act import declaration data for imports of plant and plant products. The AMS pilot (here) will test electronic submission of data required for fruits, vegetables and specialty crops subject to federal marketing orders.
The bulk of the remaining Automated Commercial Environment pilot tests of partner government agency (PGA) message sets will begin on Aug. 19, said Cynthia Whittenburg, CBP executive director-trade policy and programs, at a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations (COAC) held July 29 in Chicago. A total of 13 PGA message set pilots will begin on that date, including the Food and Drug Administration, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service-Lacey Act, National Marine Fisheries Service, and Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, she said.
Lawmakers introduced the following trade-related bills since International Trade Today's last legislative update:
Lawmakers introduced the following trade-related bills since International Trade Today's last legislative update: