U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has recently posted to its Web site its quarterly report on the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) entitled Report to Congress: the Automated Commercial Environment. This report is dated June 30, 2004 and covers the period from April 1, 2004 through June 30, 2004.
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 and the government determines admissibility.
During its recent Trade Symposium, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) held a panel discussion on the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) and the International Trade Data System (ITDS).
On February 7, 2005, President Bush transmitted to Congress his fiscal year (FY) 2006 budget. (FY 2006 is from October 1, 2005 through September 30, 2006.)
On February 1, 2005, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Robert Bonner addressed the Trade Support Network (TSN). The following are highlights of Commissioner Bonner's remarks to the TSN, which focused primarily on Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT):
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a press release announcing that on January 31, 2005 it reinstated testing of the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) and its commercial truck processing capabilities at the port of Blaine, WA. CBP states that preparations for ACE transitions at additional ports are progressing, and schedules and the port locations will be announced at a later date. (See ITT's Online Archives or 01/31/05 news, 05013100, for BP summary of CBP's plan to resume this pilot.) (CBP press release, dated 01/31/05, available at http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/press_releases/02012005_2.xml)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a general notice announcing that, effective immediately, applicants seeking to establish importer or broker accounts so as to access the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Secure Data Portal (ACE Portal) or to participate in any ACE test, are no longer required to provide a statement certifying participation in the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT).
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a notice announcing that the next meeting of the Departmental Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection and Related Functions (COAC) will be held on February 15, 2005 in Washington, DC. (This committee was previously called the "Treasury Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of the U.S. Customs Service.") According to DHS, at the February 15, 2005 meeting, COAC is expected to pursue the following agenda (subject to change):
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted to its Web site new or modified Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) messages for Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Release 4 - Truck Manifest.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a press release announcing that it is postponing the enforcement of the Free And Secure Trade (FAST) Card requirement for Border Release Advance Screening and Selectivity (BRASS) shipment drivers until May 1, 2005 for the first group of 40 ports.
On January 12-14, 2005, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) held its annual Trade Symposium in Washington, DC.