CBP's 21st Century Task Force Looking at Statutory Changes to Support 'Reimagined Entry'

The 21st Century Customs Framework task force is looking at changes to CBP’s entry statute and legal provisions on administrative exemptions that would support a reimagined entry process that could bring unprecedented benefits for both enforcement and trade facilitation, agency officials said, speaking during the CBP’s Virtual Trade Week on July 20.

Currently, there’s a “lot of architecture” involved in the entry process. The broker or self-filer takes data from different places, “soaks it into one bucket, transforms it into what CBP needs,” and “sends it over the fence to us,” said Vincent Annunziato, director of CBP’s business transformation and innovation division. Then, after CBP does what it needs to do on its end, it sends the data to the partner government agencies (PGAs) so they can process the data before sending it back to CBP, which waits for everything to match up before it's sent back out.

“In this new world, think about a circle,” Annunziato said. “Everyone’s around the circle, and if someone sends in some data, everyone with a need to know sees the data at the same time. That’s a big difference.”

Changes to 19 USC 1484 on the entry process, and to 19 USC 1321 on administrative exemptions, are necessary to make the sweeping changes, said Garrett Wright, director of CBP’s trade modernization office, who directs the day-to-day work of the task force.

CBP is looking to get “information from the right parties at the right time,” Wright said. The agency is “exploring the merits” of permitting -- not mandating -- the importer and customs broker to authorize other parties within the supply chain to make information available to CBP. For the importer or broker, there would be “no loss of fidelity,” because the importer of record would still get to certify what’s in the entry. The framework would allow CBP to identify risk much earlier, and make admissibility decisions sooner, Wright said.

CBP released a list of the companies and trade associations involved in the task force on July 19. Representatives of those companies and groups make up 43 members of the 90-member task force. CBP did not release the individual identities of the task force members, though it did release the identities of a 12-person focus group that will vet recommendations from the task force before they are sent to the Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee.

The focus group members are Cindy Allen of FedEx Trade Networks, Lenny Feldman of Sandler Travis, Barry Baxter of Walmart, Shoshana Grove of International Bridge, Heidi Bray of Stellantis, Vincent Iacopella of Alba Wheels Up, Eugene Laney of the American Association of Exporters and Importers, Brian White of J.M. Smucker, Amy Magnus of A.N. Deringer, Michael Young of OOCL, Newton Vierira of Nike and Matthew Zehner of Roanoke.

Asked how small companies can participate in the task force, Wright said CBP has an “open door policy,” and that anyone interested in participating should reach out to the agency’s Office of Trade Relations.