CBP Working on Advancing eBond NPRM Ahead of COAC Meeting

CBP is working on advancing the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking about eBond functionality and updating it from a "test to a requirement, eliminating the majority of paper bond processing, and ensuring bonds are on file," CBP said. The announcement came in a working paper submitted by the Bond Working Group of the Intelligent Enforcement Subcommittee ahead of the Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee meeting on Sept. 20. The working paper is among a series of documents being released ahead of the meeting (see 2309150048).

CBP also is working on finalizing the CBP clearance of the Monetary Guidelines for Setting Bond Amounts internal directive. CBP is hoping to publish in the fall and will follow up with a "corresponding external guidance document," CBP said. Trade members of the Bond Working Group expect the release of the report in September 2023, they wrote in their executive summary.

CBP work also continues on incorporating four additional types of eBonds, as previously recommended by the COAC, CBP said. The four bond types are Importer Security Filing, Department of Transportation, International Trade Commission and Intellectual Property Rights, the agency said.

The Trade Support Network (TSN) completed the ISF request for development and CBP presented it to the Product Management Committee in February 2023. It remains "on the prioritized and unfunded backlog," CBP said. CBP said it will focus on working with TSN to finalize the DOT request for development once DOT leadership provides guidance, the issue paper said. Meanwhile, the TSN has completed the ITC request for development and CBP is preparing it for presentation to the Product Management Committee. CBP also is focusing on issuing final guidance for the "appropriate methods" for eBond and non-eBond participants to submit bonds to CBP and on informal entry bond requirements, the issue paper said.