CBP Extends Comment Period, Proposes More Changes to Form 301

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is extending the comment period by an additional 30 days on its proposed extension and revision of an information collection that would revise CBP Form 301 (Customs Bond) in order to accurately reflect the changes that have occurred with regard to CBP bonds and to make other revisions to the form.

Comments are now due by December 9, 2010.

(See ITT’s Online Archives or 08/19/10 news, 10081919, for BP summary of CBP’s original request for comments on this information collection.)

Still Proposing to Add ISF, MTO, IPR Sample Activity Codes to Form 301

As described in CBP’s original request for comments, CBP proposes to revise Form 301 in order to capture the new types of bonds which have been authorized by law and regulation, as well as better harmonize this form with current and future automation system requirements.

In particular, Section II of the CBP Form 301 would be revised to specifically cover continuous activity code bonds for Importer Security Filing (ISF), Marine Terminal Operator (MTO), and Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Samples. (Section II currently includes codes for 10 activities, such as: importer or broker; drawback payments refunds; custodian of bonded merchandise; international carrier; foreign trade zone operator; bill of lading; etc.)

Proposing Additional Changes Based on Comments Received

In accordance with public comments received, CBP also proposes to make the following additional changes to Form 301:

• Remove the phrase from Section II of the form “1a may be checked independently or with 1, and” because these activity codes should not be combined. (Activity Code 1 is importer or broker, and Activity Code 1a is drawback payments refunds.)

• In Section II of Form 301, replace the term “Single Entry Bond” with the term “Single Transaction Bond”, in each place it appears, in order to accommodate transactions that are not entries.

• In Section III of Form 301, replace the term “Importer Name”, in each place it appears, with the term “Name” to accommodate parties other than importers that use Form 301.

• In Section III of Form 301, replace the term “Importer Number”, in each place it appears, with the term “Identification Number” in order to include all the types of filing numbers listed in 19 CFR 24.5.

• Delete the term “Form 5297” in both Footnote 8 and Footnote 9 of Form 301 so that it does not exclude electronic filing of the information. (Form 5297 is the Corporate Surety Power of Attorney.)

• Create a continuation sheet for Form 301.

(OMB No. 1651-0050, FR Pub 11/09/10)