The International Trade Data System Board's fiscal year 2010 report on the status of ITDS states that while there is funding for the FY 2011 top three priorities, additional funds will be needed for the Participating Government Agency “shared requirements” envisioned for ACE Cargo Release.
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.
On March 16, 2011, CBP Commissioner Bersin and other CBP leaders held a series of roundtable discussions with private sector trade representatives on the topics of account management, Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT), the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE), FTZs, etc.
In its fiscal year 2010 report to Congress on the International Trade Data System1, the ITDS Board made one export-related recommendation and discussed future plans for export functionality in ITDS.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is requesting comments by May 6, 2011, on a proposed new information collection, the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Trade Survey, that it will be submitting to the Office of Management and Budget for approval.
U.S. Customs and Border protection has posted a document providing a February 2011 update on the status of the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) program, including the use of document imaging for the Food and Drug Administration, a final CATAIR PGA message set, and web services to send data to PGA data systems.
The fiscal year 2010 report to Congress on the International Trade Data System has is now posted to the ITDS website. This report includes information on the 1) status of ITDS implementation; 2) extent of participation in ITDS by other Federal agencies; 3) remaining barriers to any agencies participation; 4) consistency with the World Customs Organization; 5) recommendations for technological and other improvements to the ITDS; and 6) status of development, implementation and management of ACE within CBP.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a news release and fact sheet on its progress in securing U.S. borders in FY 2010, such as establishing an import safety targeting center, increased seizures for IPR and safety violations, more timely AD/CV liquidations, etc.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s $11.8 billion budget request for fiscal year 2012 would cut Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) funding in half but focus funds on certain important ACE functionality such as cargo release. The budget request would also provide funds for maritime cargo screening pilots, border technology, Border Patrol agents, and CBP officers.
During a recent interview with Broker Power, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials provided an update on ACE, including the 24 groups of high priority ACE entry summary edits, Post Summary Correction functionality, the deployment of M1, the document imaging system, etc.
During a December 2010 trade association webinar, a CBP official discussed CBP’s new document imaging system in the Automated Commercial Environment. At this webinar, a CBP official provided additional details on DIS, including the types of forms that DIS can currently support, the limitation of current trade participation to ACE early adopters, and CBP’s work with additional participating government agencies.