Air Cargo Group Says Some Moving Too Fast on Electronic Info, Endorses ACAS
Issuing ad hoc directives and impractical rules to implement advance electronic information on air cargo would have an adverse and costly impact on air cargo security, said the Global Air Cargo Advisory Group (GACAG). It said regulators should work closely with the air cargo industry to develop such rules and regulations in this area.
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GACAG also urged broad industry participation in the Air Cargo Advance Screening (ACAS) pilot under way in the U.S., saying the results of that pilot should be carefully considered in developing global standards.
"We believe there will be great value from our industry members' participation in the ACAS pilot," said GACAG Chairman Michael Steen. GACAG's new position paper on Air Cargo Advance Electronic Information for Security Purposes said GACAG fully endorses and supports efforts to improve security in the international air cargo supply chain and supports the use of advance electronic information for risk assessment in accordance with the World Customs Organization's SAFE Framework of Standards and other applicable international security standards.
But GACAG warned against national authorities taking a non-uniform approach to the implementation of advance electronic data requirements, saying this could mean added bureaucracy, additional costs and less predictability for the aviation sector. It said some countries may not be following the advance electronic information standards published in the WCO SAFE Framework, creating confusion and additional costs to the aviation sector. Some countries have been releasing ad hoc directives -- including consideration of advance electronic information prior to loading -- without adequate time for discussion, resulting in regulations that the industry may be unable to fulfill, it said.
GACAG said advance data requirements should allow for multiple originators of filings based on the availability of the information, while limiting multiple submissions of the same information. It said importers, exporters or their agents should give authorities goods declarations such as house waybill information for security risk assessment purposes as early as possible.