CBP to Integrate Laboratories and Scientific Services into CEEs, Planning Pre-Classification Program
CBP will integrate its Laboratories and Scientific Services (LSS) into the Centers of Excellence and Expertise, according to a presentation given at an Oct. 23 conference. CBP presented the material at the Footwear Traffic, Distribution and Customs conference in Long Beach, Calif., hosted by the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America. The integration will provide for "a uniformed approach to facilitation and enforcement," the presentation said.
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Each of the ten CEEs will be assigned a primary and alternate LSS Center Technical adviser (CTA), the presentation said. The "CTAs will remain under the LSS organization structure, but directly assist the CEEs on a variety of issues," including country of origin determinations, classification opinions, IPR determinations, and Exclusion Orders, said CBP. The primary for the Apparel, Footwear and Textiles CEE will be the lab director from San Francisco, the presentation said. CBP didn't return a request for comment.
The Apparel CEE includes a partnership branch, which is organized by account, that processes entry and post-entry summary activity, it said. There are currently eight participating accounts, for which the partnership branch will run cargo hold reports, work with ports of entry to resolve holds and expedite release, monitor cargo exams and exam timeframes and work with ports of entry to expedite exams, said CBP.
Among plans for the future is a "Pre-Classification Program" for the Apparel CEE, the presentation said. The program will provide importers with classification advice before importation and entry, it said. Pre-classification will be an option for participating accounts and will be performed in the CEE's "virtual environment," it said. The Partnership Branch is now seeking industry input on its implementation, it said.