U.S. Customs and Border Protection's ACEopedia for July 2012 adds additional information on the process improvements created by ACE to date. A new listing of those improvements is the largest change from the previous ACEopedia.
Latest Harmonized System updates
The Census Bureau has issued an AES Broadcast stating that, effective immediately, the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) tables in the Automated Export System (AES) have been updated for the Korea Free Trade Agreement (KFTA). According to the broadcast and Census sources, AES will accept shipments with outdated codes for a 30-day grace period from approximately March 14 through April 13, 2012. Reporting an outdated code after the 30 day grace period will result in a fatal error.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection states that the Automated Commercial System (ACS) and Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) are now updated to accept entry summaries claiming U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement duty benefits. While the KFTA has been in effect since March 15, entry summary claims could not be filed in ACS or ACE until these systems were updated for the KFTA. CBP has previously stated that KFTA claims are made using the Special Program Indicator (SPI) "KR."
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has announced the issuance of Harmonized System Update 2013 on changes to the 2012 Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS). This update was created on March 15, 2012 and contains 11,6214 Automated Broker Interface (ABI) records and 23,379 harmonized tariff records.
On March 15, 2012, the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement entered into force. CBP states that the ACS and ACE system changes for filing KFTA entry summary claims are expected to be ready on March 21, 2012, and that CBP will notify the trade via CSMS message when KFTA entry summary claims can be filed using these automated systems.
On February 28, 2012, the Office of Management and Budget released the United States-Mexico High-Level Regulatory Cooperation Council (HLRCC) Work Plan, which is an outline of activities, to be carried out by the HLRCC for a period of two years, with regard to reducing administrative burdens and aligning regulations between the U.S. and Mexico. The HLRCC's plan will be reviewed and modified as appropriate, on an annual basis. The Plan focuses on several sectoral issues in the following areas: food, transportation, nanotechnology, e-health, oil and gas drilling, and conformity assessment.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has been advised that effective March 1, 2012, the Dominican Republic lost its eligibility for using the DR-CAFTA cumulation provisions under HTS 9822.05.11 or 9822.05.13 as the basis for preferential treatment. These provisions permit certain materials to be sourced from Mexico. CBP states a Presidential Proclamation to amend the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) as necessary to implement this change is forthcoming.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a proposed rule to amend 19 CFR to transform the in-bond process from a paper dependent entry process to an automated paperless process in ACE. It would also require additional information to be reported on the in-bond application, establish a 30-day transit time for all modes except pipelines, and require electronic permission from CBP for in-bond cargo diversion, among other changes. Comments on the proposed rule are due by April 23, 2012.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a proposed rule to make various changes to the in-bond regulations so that they are more logical and better track the in-bond process. The proposed rule would transform the in-bond process from a paper dependent entry process to an automated paperless process in ACE. It would also require additional information to be reported on the in-bond application, establish a 30-day transit time for all modes except pipelines, and require electronic permission from CBP for in-bond cargo diversion, among other changes. Comments on the proposed rule are due by April 23, 2012.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a CSMS message announcing the issuance of Harmonized System Update 1202 on changes to the 2012 Harmonized Tariff Schedule. This update contains 606 ABI records and 158 harmonized tariff records. Adjustments required by the authentication of the 2012 Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) are included. The modified records are currently available to all ABI participants and can be retrieved electronically via the procedures indicated in the CATAIR. For further information about this process, please contact your client representative. Contact Jennifer Keeling via email at Jennifer.Keeling@dhs.gov for all other questions.