The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service reminded importers and filers that they may still use the agency’s Lacey Act Web Governance System (LAWGS) to submit Lacey Act declarations (here), but will first need to get entry numbers from ACE and not the legacy Automated Commercial System after the March 31 deadline for filing entries with Lacey Act data in ACE. LAWGS filers should use Lacey disclaimer code C to indicate the use of LAWGS for filing the Lacey Act declaration, said APHIS.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is proposing to allow imports of lemons from Chile into the continental U.S. (here), as well as imports of cherimoya fruit from Chile into the entire U.S. without the currently required soapy water and wax treatment (here). Chilean lemons would have to be grown at a registered farm and found free of the pest Brevipalpus chilensis in order to be eligible for importation. Cherimoya would be required to be produced under a systems approach with requirements for production site registration, low pest prevalence area certification, post-harvest processing, and fruit cutting and inspection at the packinghouse. Comments on both proposed rules are due June 3.
CBP is continuing to track stakeholder readiness for ACE transition, and expects its first mandatory use date on March 31 to proceed smoothly, said an agency spokeswoman that same day. The switch from a hard Feb. 28 deadline to phased approach “has alleviated concerns voiced by the trade community regarding readiness by staggering the integration of the PGAs, and allowing more time for all parties to fully transition to ACE,” she said.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced changes March 29 to Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) electronic manuals. While some changes are minor, other changes may affect the admissibility of the plant products, including fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
After months of hand-wringing and multiple delays, the first ACE mandatory use date on March 31 looks set to go smoothly, said software developers and customs brokers the day before the transition. CBP’s phased implementation approach appears to have paid dividends, with March 31 marking no change at all for many filers who already file the required types of entries and entry summaries in ACE, they said.
CBP opened up a "war room" on March 28 to help industry with the March 31 ACE mandatory use date for several types of entries, said CBP on its website (here). The war room, which is overseen by the ACE Business Office, will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily through April 8, said the agency. Anyone interested in reaching the war room will first need to go through a client representative, who "will have direct access to the war room and will escalate your issue, if necessary," CBP said. The war room will only address issues related to transactions mandated in ACE on March 31, which includes entry summaries for entry types 01, 03, 11, 23, 51 and 52 as well as all entries and entry summaries of those entry types with Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Lacey Act or National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data (see 1603250048). CBP had similar plans for past transition dates (see 1506010042).
With its first ACE mandatory use date around the corner, CBP clarified its transition plans for new filing requirements that take effect March 31 (here). Beginning on that date, filing all entry summaries for entry types 01, 03, 11, 23, 51 and 52, as well as all entries and entry summaries of those entry types with Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Lacey Act or National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Partner Government Agency data (and no other PGA data) must be filed in ACE (see 1602080042). Any filers submitting entries or entry summaries required in ACE on March 31 through the legacy Automated Commercial System “will be notified to cease and desist,” said CBP (here). If the filer continues to file in ACS in violation of the March 31 deadline, “CBP will avail itself of any enforcement actions available,” it said.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced changes March 18 to Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) electronic manuals. While some changes are minor, other changes may affect the admissibility of the plant products, including fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced changes March 17 to Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) electronic manuals. While some changes are minor, other changes may affect the admissibility of the plant products, including fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters: