CBP Announces Feb 21 COAC Meeting on Air Cargo, IPR, Etc.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has announced that the Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (COAC) will meet on February 21, 2012 in Washington, D.C. Topics to be discussed at the meeting include Air Cargo Advance Screening, the one government at the border initiative, and IPR enforcement. There will be comment opportunities before and during the meeting. The registration deadline to attend or listen to the webcast of the meeting is February 17.

COAC to Consider 3 Topics: ACAS, One Government at Border, IPR Enforcement

The COAC will hear from the following subcommittees on the topics listed below and then will review, deliberate, and formulate recommendations on how to proceed on those topics:

• The work of the Global Supply Chain Security Air Cargo Subcommittee: Air Cargo Advance Screening (ACAS) strategic plan for public release.
• The work of the One U.S. Government at the Border Subcommittee: Discussions on the 2012 subcommittee work plan.
• The work of the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Enforcement Subcommittee: IPR Distribution Chain Management concept.

Comments May be Submitted by Feb 15 or During the Meeting

Prior to the COAC taking action on any of these topics, members of the public will have an opportunity to provide comments. Written comments must be submitted no later than February 15, 2012 and be identified by USCBP-2012-0001.

There will also be three public comment periods held during the meeting. On-site speakers are requested to keep their comments to three minutes. Comments can also be made electronically anytime during the COAC meeting webcast, but webcast participants will not be able to provide oral comments. Comments submitted electronically will be read into the record during the three public comment periods.

Will Receive Update on Role of the Broker, Simplified Entry Pilot, Etc.

The COAC will also receive an update and discuss the following Initiatives and Subcommittee topics that were discussed at its December 7, 2011 meeting:

• The National Supply Chain Security Strategy;
• CBP Initiatives of the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) program and Beyond the Border (BTB) -- Report by the Global Supply Chain Security Land Border Subcommittee.
• Feedback received by the agency on previously submitted recommendations--Report by the Role of the Broker Subcommittee.
• The automation of Ocean and Rail manifest, Cargo Release, and other CBP automation pilots in the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE).
• Centralization of Single Transaction Bonds (STBs) and coordination of bond issues that apply to other subcommittees--Report by the Bond Subcommittee.
• The evaluation plan regarding Centers of Expertise and Simplified Entry pilot--Report by the Trade Facilitation Subcommittee.
• Feedback received by the agency on previously submitted recommendations--Report by the AD/CVD Subcommittee.

Registration is Open Until Feb 17

Those planning on attending the meeting via webcast must register online here by close-of-business on February 17, 2012. Those planning on attending on-site should register either online here, or by email to tradeevents@dhs.gov, or fax to 202-325-4290 by close-of-business February 17, 2012. Registration is now open.

(See ITT's Online Archives 12013007 for summary announcing the registration for this COAC meeting.)

CBP Contact -- Wanda Tate (202) 344-1440

(DN USCBP-2012-0001, FR Pub 02/03/12)

The draft agenda for this meeting is available here.