Plans for MID Replacement Deserve Wider Review by Industry, AAEI's Rowden Says
CBP's plans to replace the manufacturer/shipper identification code (MID) with a Global Business Identifier ought to be circulated further as it considers taking action, said American Association of Exporters and Importers CEO Marianne Rowden at the Dec. 4 Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee meeting. Rowden spoke during the public comments portion of the meeting after a working group offered suggestions for how CBP should go about considering options for the MID replacement (see 1912020011). The agency should “go slow on this issue,” she said.
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CBP should consider that there's a wider universe of affected parties now, such as very small e-commerce companies, and that many countries already rely on value-added tax numbers, she said. “I would suggest to you that the broader trade community beyond COAC hasn't concentrated on it in a long time,” she said. “I think it's great that COAC has done some initial vetting, narrowing down of the issues and possibilities, but I would implore you to do a broader outreach to associations and a broader cross section of the trade community to discuss this issue because it is so fundamental and it will become more critical in the future,” she said. A document comparing the potential identifiers was posted by CBP.