CBP Releases Revised Business Rules Document for ACE Entry Summary

CBP released a new version of its ACE Entry Summary business rules and processes document with changes to most sections. Version 9.0 includes major revisions to the entire document, including completely rewritten sections on entry summary transmission, record creation, cancellation, manual entry summaries and notifications, according to the change log. Other sections with significant changes include revisions to sections on liquidation, reconciliation and drawback to reflect recently implemented changes to reflect new processes under ACE post-release deployments and the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015.

The newly updated drawback chapter reflecting TFTEA changes includes a disclaimer that the section represents CBP’s “tentative and conditional framework for drawback pending the issuance of a Final Rule to implement the regulatory changes pending for TFTEA-Drawback claims.” An updated chapter on old drawback processes, which are still in use until the end of a year-long grace period in February 2019, is included at the end of the document as an appendix. Chapters on protests, liquidation, reconciliation and other post-release capabilities reflect changes including the end of blanket reconciliation and the deployment of the protest module in the Automated Broker Interface.

A revised chapter on temporary importation bonds adds procedures for TIB extensions and closures, in addition to existing information on TIB expirations. A new section is also added on procedures for anticipatory breeches prior to the end of the bond period.

Other changes to the document include instructions on procedures when a single transaction bond has been given in error. In those “limited circumstances,” the STB may be voided, with that action occurring prior to being matched to the entry in Cargo Release. CBP added additional detail on “processes are not considered a change in condition provided that the operation does not materially alter the characteristics of the good” for the purposes of NAFTA duty deferral. A section on warehouse entries notes that ACE Cargo Release eliminates the requirement of presenting a stamped paper CBP Form 3461 to the warehouse for the delivery of cargo, and says “CBP recognizes that converting to a paperless environment will pose challenges to those who don’t receive electronic releases from CBP.”