The Census Bureau issued guidance on correctly reporting the address for a U.S. Principal Party in Interest in the Automated Export System, including how to deal with various error codes. The blog post, published March 16, also details how AES verifies that filers report “valid” USPPI addresses, and answered other questions about the AES.

FDA seeks comments on its collections of information related to export certificate applications for FDA-regulated human food and cosmetic products, it said in a notice. Mostly requested electronically via the CFSAN Export Certification Application and Tracking System (CFSAN eCATS) or Certificate Application Process (CAP), the certificates may be required by foreign countries for goods exported from the U.S. to assure foreign regulators that the goods meet U.S. requirements. FDA seeks comments by May 17 on whether the information collections are necessary, how they can be improved, and how to minimize their burden.

CBP is trying to reduce the amount of time it spends searching through paper documents for automobile exports, Jim Swanson, director of the Cargo and Security Controls Division, for Cargo and Conveyance Security, CBP Office of Field Operations, said March 3 during an Airforwarders Association virtual event. CBP is testing use of the Document Image System for providing used-car titles within the Automated Export System, Swanson said. “The next phase of that, and one we are very close to and hopefully we'll start to see rollout this year, is an electronic process” that allows CBP to take information from AES and do a full title search, he said. “Then, and only then, if there are issues with that would we ask for additional information,” he said. The requirement to provide information within 72 hours of departure isn't going away, but this would allow the process to move along faster, he said. Swanson said that about 85% of all export resources CBP uses are involved in looking at used motor vehicle titles. CBP said it is planning to update AES to allow for integrated title searches this fall (see 2103030027).

CBP plans to add features in ACE during this fall to allow for a connection between the Automated Export System and the national Vehicle Title Information System, the agency said in an updated ACE deployment schedule. “The enhancement enables CBP to access all information on the vehicle from one data query in AES,” the agency said. CBP has said a lack of automation related to automobile exports makes it harder for CBP to target criminal enterprises that often make use of fake titles (see 1903070027). CBP also aims to deploy the Global Business Identifier in cargo release in the winter of 2022, it said. “This enhancement will replace the Manufacturing Identification Code (MID), producing a unique identifier that captures complete data on shipper/seller and manufacturer information; eliminating duplicate MIDs and multiple companies being assigned the same MID.”

The Census Bureau published a blog post and guidance on how to report used vehicles in the Automated Export System, including what information is required to complete Electronic Export Information filings. The Feb. 18 post outlines the process for verifying commodity classification codes and reporting various vehicle information. It said traders must place an “Internal Transaction Number” on their shipping documents.

The Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) for CBP will next meet remotely on March 17, CBP said in a notice. Comments are due in writing by March 16.

Exports to Hong Kong remain eligible for post-departure filings in the Automated Export System despite recent changes to Hong Kong’s export control status, the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America said in a Jan. 25 email to industry. NCBFAA said it confirmed with the Census Bureau that the agency will permit the filings, which are available for certain exporters that joined the post-departure filing program before it was closed to new participants. Census recently issued guidance clarifying its reporting requirements for exports to Hong Kong (see 2012300040), despite a December Bureau of Industry and Security rule that removed Hong Kong as a separate destination under the Export Administration Regulations (see 2012220053). A Census spokesperson confirmed that Hong Kong exports will remain eligible for post-departure filings.

The State Department should clarify to the Commerce Department that Electronic Export Information filings are not required for exports of certain licensed technical data controlled under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, the American Association of Exporters and Importers said in a Jan. 8 letter. Even though the export of that data is authorized by an ITAR exemption and exempt from Automated Export System filings, the AAEI said “regulatory modifications made to support Single Window automation inadvertently” created uncertainty about whether AES filings are required. The uncertainty stemmed from the removal of language in the ITAR that “previously indicated no AES filing was required for such exports,” AAEI said. “This inconsistency causes confusion within industry, potentially impacts trade statistics, and may cost companies in business processing time,” the group said. AAEI urged the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls to clarify the filing requirement “either through issuance of an amendment” or “informally through coordination with” the Census Bureau. DDTC didn’t comment.

The Fish and Wildlife Service on Jan. 4 published a final rule reclassifying the June sucker (Chasmistes liorus), a freshwater fish native to Utah, as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The species had been listed as endangered. Though the agency recently ended blanket import-export restrictions for threatened species, FWS is including a 4(d) rule that prohibits imports and exports without a permit. The agency's final rule takes effect Feb. 3.

The Census Bureau updated the Schedule B and Harmonized Tariff Schedule tables in the Automated Export System to “accept changes” to the new Jan. 1 codes, the Census Bureau said in a Dec. 30 email. Census said AES will accept shipments with “outdated codes” during a 30-day grace period beyond the Dec. 31 expiration date, but reporting an outdated code after the grace period will result in a “fatal error.” Census also said it updated the Automated Commercial Environment AESDirect program with the 2021 codes, adding the program will also accept outdated codes during the grace period.