U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted to its Web site an updated version of its lengthy document on the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) entitled "ACE Frequently Asked Questions."
Automated Commercial Environment (ACE)
The Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) is the CBP's electronic system through which the international trade community reports imports and exports to and from the U.S. and the government determines admissibility.
According to an American Shipper editorial, the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) has been eclipsed by efforts to enhance cargo security since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The article adds that CBP did cross a major ACE milestone last year when it announced the first group of border crossings at which truckers would be required to file electronic instead of paper manifests, but full ACE implementation is still years down the road. (American Shipper Pub February 2007, www.americanshipper.com)
The following are documents which CBP updates frequently (weekly, monthly, etc.). Updates are listed under "What's New" on its Web site:
CBP has issued its weekly tariff rate quota (TRQ)/tariff preference level (TPL) commodity report as of February 26, 2007. This report includes TRQs on various products such as beef, tuna, sugar, dairy products, peanuts, cotton, cocoa powder, tobacco, certain BFTA, CAFTA-DR, JFTA, MFTA, NAFTA, SFTA, UAFTA (AFTA) and UCFTA (Chile FTA) non-textile TRQs, etc. Each report also includes the AGOA, ATPDEA, BFTA, CAFTA-DR, CBTPA, MFTA, NAFTA, SFTA, and UCFTA (Chile FTA) TPLs and TRQs for qualifying apparel and/or other textile articles, the TRQs on worsted wool fabrics, etc. (CBP's weekly TRQ/TPL commodity report, dated 02/26/07, available at http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/import/textiles_and_quotas/commodity/)
CBP has posted to its Web site a notice announcing a "weekly" special import quota of 21,253,330 kg for upland cotton purchased not later than May 29, 2007 and entered under HTS 9903.52.35. The quota period is March 1, 2007 through August 27, 2007; the opening date is March 1, 2007.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted to its Web site an updated version of its instructions for carriers who elect to use Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) e-Manifest to transmit in-bond movements to CBP.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted to its Web site 16 presentations that will be presented during the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Exchange III conference that is to be held on February 26-28, 2007 in Dearborn, Michigan.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a notice announcing that the third group of land border ports to become mandatory for the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) electronic manifest: Truck (e-Manifest: Truck1) for advance cargo information purposes will be those in Michigan and New York effective May 24, 2007.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted to its Web site a notice which announces the phased enforcement of mandatory Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) electronic manifest: Truck (e-Manifest: Truck) for advance cargo information purposes at all land border ports in California, New Mexico, and Texas beginning April 19, 2007.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) posted an administrative message on February 13, 2007 stating that the port of St. Louis was closed due to limited broker activity and inclement weather. However, CBP stated that it would continue clearance of international flights. (Adm: 07-0051, dated 02/13/07, available at http://www.brokerpower.com/cgi-bin/adminsearch/admmsg.view.pl?article=2007/2007-0051.ADM )