McAleenan Says Regulatory Reform a Priority for CBP

BALTIMORE -- CBP Commissioner Kevin McAleenan told an audience of import and export professionals that CBP is going to use the White House directive on regulatory reform to edit regulations across many areas, including bonded warehouses, foreign-trade zones, vessel arrival, e-bonds and ending the requirement that customs brokers have local certification. McAleenan, who was speaking at the American Association of Exporters and Importers annual conference June 8, also touched on agency initiatives in improving screening of small packages, protecting trademarks and copyrights, and blocking shipments of goods produced with forced labor. He encouraged everyone to make e-allegations on forced labor, and said he just received one from junior high school students in Maine who are concerned about slave labor in the chocolate industry.

In the question and answer session after his speech, McAleenan told the group that CBP does have input as the Department of Commerce drafts presidential proclamations regarding tariffs. He said he knows those proclamations don't contain the level of detail needed for import professionals. "We keep trying to close the gap," he said.