CBP said in a June 26 CSMS message new total daily dollar-value limit for credit card transactions using a single credit card will be lowered to $49,999.99 from $99,999.99, effective June 30. The max amount for debit card transaction will also be eliminated, said CBP.

A listing of recent antidumping and countervailing duty messages from the International Trade Administration posted to CBP's web site as of June 22, along with the case number(s) and CBP message number, is provided below. The messages are available by searching on the listed CBP message number at http://addcvd.cbp.gov. (CBP occasionally adds backdated messages without otherwise indicating which message was added. ITT will include a message date in parentheses in such cases.)

CBP held Webinars on June 13 and 14 to help prepare industry during the ongoing six month transition for ACE e-Manifest: Rail and Sea. Effective September 29, 2012, ACE will be the only approved EDI for transmitting required advance rail and sea cargo information and ABI in-bond transactions to CBP. The June 14th Webinar is available (here).

The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) voiced concern with the Department of Homeland Security's proposed continued exemption of the Automated Targeting System (ATS) from provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974.

CBP said since 8 a.m. on June 25 responses to user input (i.e., 355, MR, AR) in ACE PROD have not been generated by CBP. A work ticket has been open CBP will provide an update when the issue has been resolved, CBP said in a CSMS message.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold webinars on the CBP Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Document Imaging System (DIS) Testing, said CBP in a CSMS message. EPA is seeking participants for this first phase of DIS, which begins in July.

The CBP Import Specialist Enforcement Team at the Laredo Port of Entry seized a commercial shipment of jeans valued at $193,800 that was discovered to infringe on the Levi Strauss and Co. registered trademark, said the agency.

CBP has posted an updated version of its points of contact document for the Remote Location Filing program. The document lists the port name; port code; and contact name, phone number, and fax number.

CBP said the third quarter 2012 (July 1 - Sept. 30) Internal Revenue Service interest rates used to calculate interest on overdue accounts (underpayments) and refunds (overpayments) of customs duties are: 2% for overpayments by corporations; 3% for overpayments by non-corporations; and 3% for underpayments. These rates are unchanged from the corresponding rates in effect for the second quarter of calendar year 2012. The CBP Federal Register notice ran June 26.

CBP said the joint pilot conducted with the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) to test the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) e-Manifest: Rail and Sea (M1) functionality was a success. The Coast Guard became the first Participating Government Agency (PGA) to successfully navigate ACE M1 in production during a series of operational trials in May piloted in Charleston, SC, said CBP. The trials will result in better targeting capability of high risk cargo, improved communication to the trade community, and greater border security.