May 22, 2006 - #96
Customs' Guidance on U.S. Border Truck E-Manifest System
The Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP, Customs) published a press release Thursday providing guidance on the implementation of the agency's Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) electronic truck manifest (e-manifest) system, which Customs is in the process of deploying in Northern and Southern U.S. border ports. E-manifest was created by Customs to meet the advance manifest requirements for truck cargo required by the Trade Act of 2002.
"The Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) electronic truck manifest (e-manifest) functionality is being deployed to all land border ports during calendar year 2006," Customs stated in the release.
"Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is performing outreach to truck carriers and other trade partners encouraging the use of the currently voluntary e-manifest," Customs stated. "At the same time, CBP is working to make the use of the e-manifest mandatory under the Trade Act of 2002 and has repeatedly informed the trade of this effort. The Federal Register Notice mandating the use of e-manifest for Trade Act purposes has an anticipated publication date in early summer 2006."
"In addition, on June 15, 2006 Phase IV of the Trade Act enforcement for truck carriers, that disallows the use of facsimiles indicating that a carrier had sent Pre-Arrival Processing System (PAPS) information to a broker in lieu of the use of ACE e-manifest as an accepted compliance method will be implemented," Customs added.
Customs noted that the steps the agency has taken in the last few months have led to a 75 percent increase in the use of e-manifests at ports in which e-manifest is currently being used. Customs stated that analysis of these transmissions indicates that more carriers are attempting to transmit e-manifests prior to arriving in the U.S.
Customs provided the following description of the way that e-manifest works in an April 18, 2006 press release:
"Today, with the implementation of the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) at various Northern and Southern Border Ports, the carrier no longer has to depend upon the ABI filer to transmit the required cargo information to CBP. Instead, the carrier may transmit its advance electronic cargo information to CBP directly via the ACE Truck Manifest system either through the carrier’s own ACE portal or through its Electronic Data Interface (EDI) system.
"In addition, the carrier may have its information transmitted to CBP with the assistance of a service provider or other party that has direct transmission capabilities. It is the carrier’s business decision to send the required electronic cargo information to CBP via an ABI filer, or directly to CBP via ACE by becoming an ACE participant."
Customs stated in the release that when increased enforcement comes into effect at e-manifest ports, "any conveyance arriving at an ACE implemented port without having transmitted advance cargo information (PAPS, QP) to CBP by the time of arrival will neither receive a permit to unlade nor a permit to proceed."
Further information on e-manifest can be accessed on Customs web site at: http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/import/communications_to_trade/advance_info/ , or http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/about/modernization/carrier_info/ .
Expeditors Newsflash, (206) 674-3400, expeditors.newsflash@expeditors.com
Expeditors Newsflash, (206) 674-3400, expeditors.newsflash@expeditors.com
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