CBP and the Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations (COAC) are seeking input from the trade industry on the efficiency of trade processing, CBP said in a CSMS message. The survey, which is due by July 23, is available (here). The COAC survey last year identified lengthy CBP holds and challenges with Form 28s to be among the top issues (see 12080921).

CBP's Los Angeles field office proposed a revision to the Centralized Exam Station (CES) fee schedule for Price Transfer Inc., the agency said in a June 18 public bulletin. The field office proposes to increase the fee for full container load exams from the current cost of $75 to $275, the notice said. The charge covers all facility and office equipment and daily maintenance costs, among other things, it said. The charge would not apply to less container load exams, it said. Comments on the proposal are due within 30 days of the notice, said the field office.

The CBP Los Angeles field office reorganized its import specialist teams at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to align with the Centers for Excellence and Expertise (CEEs), it said in a public bulletin June 18. The field office provided a guide to determine commodity team assignments at LAX for specific tariff numbers. The field office recently made similar changes for import specialist and entry teams at the Los Angeles/Long Beach Seaport,(see 13061312).

CBP posted the public comments filed with the agency in response to a recent proposed test to determine the tariff classification of footwear with soles of textile material. CBP released its proposed test method administering Harmonized Tariff Schedule Chapter 64, additional note 5 in the March 27 Customs Bulletin (see 13032615). The comments were posted on the agency's Freedom of Information Act library in the "Significant Records of Interest" section. CBP said it is currently reviewing the comments and "plans to prepare a decision to establish how CBP will administer Note 5" and will publish its decision in the Customs Bulletin. All of the comments are (here).

CBP released its May 29 Customs Bulletin (Vol. 47, No. 23). While the Bulletin does not contain any ruling articles, it does include recent general notices and Court of International Trade decisions.

Certain textile and apparel goods from Benin described as folklore articles and ethnic printed fabrics are eligible for preferential tariff treatment under the African Growth and Opportunity Act, the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements said. The preferential treatment took effect June 14. Folklore articles described in Annex A, and ethnic printed fabrics from Annex B, are eligible under AGOA section 112(a). CITA directed CBP to allow duty-free entry for the products under HTS subheading 9819.11.21, if accompanied by an appropriate AGOA visa in grouping “9”. CITA may determine additional textile and apparel goods should be treated as handloomed, handmade, folklore articles or ethnic printed fabrics, after further talks with Benin authorities, the Committee said. For an item to qualify as a folklore product under Annex A, it must be "ornamented in characteristic Benin or regional folk style," CITA said, and not include modern features or designs like zippers, elastic, airplanes or cartoon characters. For an item to qualify as an ethnic print under Annex B, it must meet six characteristics, including having a width of less than 50 inches, and being printed or waxed in an eligible sub-Saharan African country.

CBP posted a June 17 version of its CF 1400 (Record of Vessel in Foreign Trade Entrances) electronic query report of the Vessel Management System (VMS), in accordance with 19 CFR 4.95, organized by entrances. CBP also posted a version of its CF 1401 (Record of Vessel in Foreign Trade Clearances) electronic query report of the VMS, in accordance with 19 CFR 4.95, organized by clearances.

CBP issued its weekly tariff rate quota and tariff preference level commodity report as of June 17. This report includes TRQs on various products such as beef, sugar, dairy products, peanuts, cotton, cocoa products, and tobacco; and certain BFTA, DR-CAFTA, Israel FTA, JFTA, MFTA, OFTA, SFTA, UAFTA (AFTA) and UCFTA (Chile FTA) non-textile TRQs etc. Each report also includes the AGOA, ATPDEA, BFTA, DR-CAFTA, CBTPA, Haitian HOPE, MFTA, NAFTA, OFTA, SFTA, and UCFTA TPLs and TRQs for qualifying textile articles and/or other articles; the TRQs on worsted wool fabrics, etc.

CBP Boston scheduled a meeting for June 27 at 9 a.m. to discuss processing of single transaction bonds, it said in a public information notice. The meeting will take place at the Boston Field Office at 10 Causeway St., Suite 892, Boston, Mass. 02222.

The first phase of CBP’s truck cargo pre-inspection pilot, a collaborative “Beyond the Border” initiative that will include radiation screening and basic primary processing prior to arriving at the U.S. border, began on June 17 at the Pacific Highway crossing, a CBP news release said. CBP said the pilot’s first phase is designed to “determine the viability of assigning CBP officers to Canadian border crossings to pre-inspect southbound trucks, drivers and cargo” before arrival in the U.S. The initial phase will also “test the viability of developed technologies and joint U.S.-Canada procedures to conduct CBP primary truck processing in Canada.” Participation is not mandatory, and only trusted traders in CBP’s Free and Secure Trade Program will be eligible to use CBP’s pre-inspection commercial primary booth on the Canadian side of the border, the agency said. Transport Canada and the British Colombia Ministry of Transport are also participating in the pilot. CBP said the pilot will continue for six months and will be followed by Phase II, which will test the possibility of reducing cargo wait times.