U.S. Customs and Border Protection sent a reminder that on September 29, 2012, ACS/AMS EDI Ocean Manifest functionality will be transitioned to ACE as part of the ACE eManifest: Rail and Sea Deployment. When this transition takes place, filers will no longer be able transmit or receive data via ACS/AMS, said CBP. Programming changes to comply with the modified record formats must be made in order to continue filing manifests electronically pursuant to the Trade Act of 2002, it said.
Tim Warren
Timothy Warren is Executive Managing Editor of Communications Daily. He previously led the International Trade Today editorial team from the time it was purchased by Warren Communications News in 2012 through the launch of Export Compliance Daily and Trade Law Daily. Tim is a 2005 graduate of the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts and lives in Maryland with his wife and three kids.
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. -- The U.S. Customs and Border Protection Centers of Excellence and Expertise are game changers in the trade world and are deserving of additional funding from Congress, said Thomas Winkowski, acting deputy commissioner at CBP, speaking at the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America conference April 25. Winkowski was a last minute replacement for Acting Commissioner David Aguilar, who was scheduled to speak at the conference but was summoned to the White House, said Winkowski.
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. - The budget environment will force the move to Automated Commercial Environment whether industry feels completely ready or not, said CBP’s Executive Director of the ACE Business Office Cindy Allen, speaking at the National Association of Customs Brokers and Forwarders of America conference April 25. As previously announced, the funding may be used up by next year, forcing the agency to make difficult choices on continuing to use certain pre-departure information systems, she said.
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. -- The rewrite of Part 111 of U.S. Customs and Border Protection regulations will focus on improving the regulations for 2020, rather than the near future, said Brenda Smith, executive director of trade Policy and Programs at CBP, speaking at the National Customs Brokers and Forwards Association of America conference April 25, 2012. The development of the new regs has been helped along with a partnership with NCBFAA, she said. Smith said there has been a lot of feedback from importers seeking to participate as clients and as employers of people with brokers licenses, she said.
The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) will be looking at three main issues in coming months, said Gerry Horner, Senior Trade and Industry Analyst in the Office of Technology Evaluation at BIS. Horner spoke at the Natinoal Customs Brokers and Forwards Association of America April 24, 2012. The first will be a review of the use of the destination control statement, said Horner. There have been challenges with its use for years and BIS will go out to look at bills of lading and airplane bills at random airports, he said. He noted the review won’t be for enforcement purposes but to see how it is used in order enhance it.
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. -- Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Director of Import Operations Domenic Veneziano went into detail in describing the plans for the voluntary qualified importer program (VQIP) while speaking at the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America April 25, 2012. The plans are still in development, said Veneziano. The VQIP was required as part of the Food Safety Modernization Act.
On April 23 2012, the following trade-related bills and resolutions were introduced:
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. -- Federal Maritime Commission Chairman Richard Lidinsky said the FMC will begin improving NVOCC regulations next month. Lidinsky spoke at the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America conference April 24, 2012. Lidinsky mentioned a recent FMC notice of inquiry seeking comments on its rules that exempt non-vessel-operating common carriers (NVOCCs) that enter service arrangements from certain tariff filing requirements of the Shipping Act of 1984. At the May FMC meeting, the commission will begin the process of modernizing regulations for NVOCC and Freight Forwarder licensing, registration, and proof of financial responsibility, Lidinsky said.
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. -- Federal Maritime Commission Chairman Richard Lidinsky said the FMC will begin improving NVOCC regulations next month. Lidinsky spoke at the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America conference April 24, 2012. Lidinsky mentioned a recent FMC notice of inquiry seeking comments on its rules that exempt non-vessel-operating common carriers (NVOCCs) that enter service arrangements from certain tariff filing requirements of the Shipping Act of 1984.
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. -- Industry can expect a revision to ocean transportation intermediaries (OTI) regulation and a request for comments on a Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) market rate index, said FMC General Counsel Rebecca Fenneman, speaking at the National Customs Brokers and Forwards Association of America convention April 24, 2012. Fenneman didn’t go into detail on the potential changes but noted they were items the FMC was considering.