CBP Trade Transformation Update Describes Broker Working Group for CEEs

CBP updated its Trade Transformation document for November, providing some brief information on the customs broker working group that is developing guidance on the role of the brokers in dealing with the Centers for Excellence and Expertise (CEEs). The CEEs are industry-dedicated, virtual locations for entry summary review and are currently in a pilot phase. The virtual locations are hoped to offer a more consistent treatment of goods for each industry, though some concerns remain among brokers and importers.

(There are currently four CEEs, one for Electronics in Long Beach, Calif., and one for Pharmaceuticals in New York City, a center for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Minerals in Houston and a center for Automobiles and Aerospace in Detroit. Locations of five others scheduled to be completed by the end of FY 2013 haven't been finalized. The remaining CEEs to be established in FY 2013 will focus on: Agriculture and Prepared Products; Base Metals; Machinery; Consumer Products and Mass Merchandising; Industrial and Manufacturing Materials; and Textiles, Wearing Apparel and Footwear.)

According to the November document, the broker working group for the CEEs is "comprised of representatives from the brokerage community and CBP personnel." The group "will collaboratively cultivate the roles and responsibilities of the broker as it relates processing trade in a virtual and national environment."

CBP's Brenda Smith, who worked to develop the CEEs recently acknowledged in an interview that the agency has lagged in getting input from customs brokers. "We could have done a better job when interacting with the brokers, but we were very industry focused and brokers don’t tend to break down by industry,” she said. The agency needs to go back to the brokers to discuss how to best deal with them and their clients in terms of the CEEs, she said.

(See ITT's Online Archives 12100938 for summary of CEEs as a Cause for Concern and Hope Among Brokers, Importers and Customs Lawyers.)

Simplified Entry Update

CBP also updated its "Future Plans" for Simplified Entry. According to the document, the agency will "be working to expand the capabilities within Cargo Release/Simplified Entry to include the Participating Government Agency (PGA) Message Set, use of the Document Image System, Single Transaction Bonds, automated corrections and deletions, Simplified Entry reports, Remote Location Filing, and also to expand the pilot to the ocean mode of transportation."

(See ITT's Online Archives 12081319 for summary of CBP's plans to expand the simplified entry pilot.)