Tim Warren

U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued its weekly tariff rate quota and tariff preference level commodity report as of April 9.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) sources said the first phase of Document Image System (DIS) testing for importers and brokers using ACE began on April 6. CBP also released a February 23 Implementation Guide for Messaging Interface between International Trade Data System Trade Partners and the CBP Document Image System (DIS) for importers and brokers. The document, numbered ITDS-DIS-IG-1.2.6, says For Official Use Only. CBP recently began the first phase of DIS testing for Importers and Brokers using ACE.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection said there was an incident in ACE M1 Production on April 10 between the hours of 1 a.m. and 4:15 a.m. EST that resulted in some Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) messages failing for 096 RUN HAS BEEN TERMINATED errors. CBP said the issue has been resolved and to re-submit any input jobs that resulted in that message.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is requesting additional comments by May 10, 2012 on an existing information collection requirement, the Application for Extension of Bond for Temporary Importation (CBP Form 3173). CBP proposes to extend the expiration date of this form with no change to the burden hours or to the form itself.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection posted an April 2012 presentation on its progress with various ACE capabilities and other projects, such as the Document Image System, PGA Message Set, e-Manifest: rail and Sea (M1), ACE Truck, Automated Export Processing etc. With this update, CBP provides an outline of its goals for 2012 and beyond.

The board of the Export-Import Bank of the United States approved a Final Commitment for an $84.8 million loan guarantee to VRG Linhas Aereas S.A. (GOL), a Brazilian airline. This financing will support the export of engine maintenance services by Delta TechOps, a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, headquartered in Atlanta. GOL engines will be shipped from São Paulo City to Atlanta for heavy maintenance to be performed by Delta Air Lines' maintenance, repair, and overhaul unit. In December 2010, GOL signed a contract with Delta Air Lines to perform heavy maintenance on GOL's CFM56-7B engines that are installed on the airline's Boeing 737 next generation aircraft fleet. As part of the contract, Delta TechOps will provide GOL with up to 253 scheduled engine removals and additional unscheduled removals. Ex-Im Bank's guarantee will cover the first two years of GOL’s five-year contract with Delta TechOps.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection will change ‘Always “:” (colon)’ to ‘Preferred “:” (colon)’ in Element ISA16 as of April 9 for the following sets of Ocean and Rail X12:

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is requesting comments by May 2, 2012 on an existing information collection on Importers of Merchandise Subject to Actual Use Provisions. CBP proposes to extend the expiration date of this information collection with no change to the burden hours or to the information collected.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued a final rule making technical corrections to CBP's regulations to reflect the repeal of one of the underlying statuary authorities regarding petitions for relief from a fine, penalty, forfeiture, or liquidated damages under a law administered by CBP. The rule doesn't change Administrative petitioning rights because CBP has other existing statutory authority for these provisions. The rule also amends regulations to reflect changes in delegation authority as effected by the transfer of CBP to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and makes non-substantive editorial and nomenclature changes.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection plans to begin a test of the Document Image System (DIS), said a April 6 Federal Register Notice that provided details of the test's first phase. The test will allow importers and brokers that use the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) to file certain government forms through the Electronic Data Interchange (EDI).