CBP has issued CSMS messages stating that second versions of the ACE Portal Reports Dictionaries have been completed and will be available soon.
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.
The European Commission has published its annual report on barriers to trade and investment in the U.S.
Trade associations such as the National Association of Manufacturers and U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and non-governmental organizations such as the Sierra Club and Rainforest Action Network (47 groups in all) have issued a consensus statement recommending a number of changes to the way the Lacey Act Declaration is implemented and administered.
CBP has issued a notice announcing that the 2009 Trade Symposium is scheduled for December 8 - 10, 2009, and will be held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC. Further information regarding registration procedures and symposium details will be made available in the early fall. (Notice, dated 06/29/09, available at http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/trade/trade_outreach/trade_symposium_09.xml)
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service sent its list of approved applicants for the Lacey Act Automated Line Release/Border Release Advance Screening and Selectivity (BRASS) pilot program1 to U.S. Customs and Border Protection on June 10, 2009.
In response to a question about the Buy American policy posed at a press conference in Canada, Secretary of State Clinton stated that the Buy American provision is not being enforced in any way that is inconsistent with U.S. international trade obligations. She acknowledged the concerns that there may be elements of the international trade obligations or absences of agreements that should be looked at so that the U.S. can promote more procurement and other kinds of trade interactions and assured Canadian officials that the U.S. will take a very close look at that. (Press briefing, dated 06/13/09, available at http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2009a/06/124717.htm.)
According to Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service sources, APHIS is now working on processing the applications it received for participation in the Lacey Act Blanket Declaration Pilot Program. APHIS has not yet given CBP a list of those that have chosen not to participate in the program and whose Line Release/BRASS C4 codes will be deactivated. (CBP was not expected to deactivate any codes until it got APHIS' list.) (See ITT's Online Archives or 05/29/09 news, 09052905, for BP summary announcing that pilot program submissions were to be post marked by May 30, 2009.)
The Department of Homeland Security has issued a press release announcing the release of application guidance for more than $500 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) preparedness grants for fire station construction, port and transit security - funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). This includes $150 million for the Port Security Grant Program and $150 million for the Transit Security Grant Program. (DHS press release available at http://www.dhs.gov/ynews/releases/pr_1243604359686.shtm.)
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service sources have stated by phone that letters of intent to participate in the Lacey Act Blanket Declaration Pilot Program must be postmarked by Saturday, May 30, 2009 (as the May 31, 2009 deadline falls on a Sunday).
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service sources have stated by phone that the date by which eligible entities must contact APHIS to participate in the Lacey Act Blanket Declaration Pilot Program is "effectively extended" until May 31, 2009.