COAC Struggles to Find Agreement on Collection of Importer Bona Fides

Despite expectations to the contrary, no recommendations on the collection of importer bona fides by customs brokers were forthcoming at the Feb. 11 meeting of the CBP Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations. Although it had appeared on the agenda (see 1501200017), the report of COAC’s Trade Modernization Subcommittee, which advises CBP's role of the broker activities, said it unfortunately “struggled to come to an agreement as to how the importer can identify themselves to the Customs Broker with an acceptable Bona Fides.” With the end of COAC’s current 13th term, the issue will head to the next term without outgoing role of the broker working group lead Jeff Coppersmith, who is departing the COAC. The advisory committee’s bona fides recommendations had initially been on hold while revisions to CBP Form 5106 were in development (see 13111801). CBP released its proposed revisions in October (see 14100815).