International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for May 18-22 in case they were missed.

CBP appears to be "on track" to meet the milestones it set for the implementation of the Automated Commercial Environment, said the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General in a newly released report (here). With four of seven ACE deployments completed, CBP is on track to finish ACE by the 2016 deadline and meet other milestones, said the OIG. "However, CBP has not ensured the internal control environment has kept pace with the rapid deployment of the ACE program," it said in the report. "Specifically, CBP has not conducted risk assessments to identify potential gaps in data reliability, and has not fully developed and implemented performance measures for the program."

CBP posted a draft version of long-awaited Automated Commercial Environment cargo release business processes on May 15 (here). The draft is a "living document" and CBP will consider submitted comments for the next draft, said the agency (here). The processes document is expected to function as the "cornerstone" for both the trade and port personnel, an agency official recently said (see 1504270018).

CBP began use of the Broker Known Importer Program (BKIP), said the agency in a CSMS message (here). BKIP allows customs brokers to indicate to the agency that an importer is "known" and was advised of "compliance responsibilities," said CBP. The voluntary program will "create a framework whereby customs brokers could discuss with their importer clients in greater depth the importer’s trade activities in the context of import regulations." The BKIP functionality is already included within the Automated Commercial Environment so "brokers can "transmit a Known Importer indicator when filing an entry on behalf of a Known Importer client," said CBP. The program is the result of a National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America initiative (see 1504220071). While not required for BKIP, the NCBFAA offers a nine-page questionnaire (here) that brokers can go over with their importers in order to begin using the program.

CBP added several new Partner Government Agency Message Set Implementation Guidelines, it said in a CSMS message (here). Among the new agencies "ready for coding" for the Automated Commercial Environment (here) are:

Electronic filing of certificates of compliance could create a host of data entry issues for customs brokers, making the certificate registry approach contemplated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission an “attractive” option, said Amy Magnus, director-customs and compliance at A.N. Deringer, during a meeting between the agency and a CBP Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations working group set up to address certificate filing.

CBP posted the transcript (here) and presentation (here) from an April 29 webinar on Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) air manifests. CBP recently said it would allow for some flexibility in the transition to ACE for air manifest (see 1504300015).

CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related issues:

Importers must report an Employer Identification Number, Social Security Number or CBP-assigned number for Ultimate Consignee identification on entries valued less than $2,500 for Automated Commercial Environment entry summaries, said CBP (here). The Ultimate Consignee's identification number may be reported as all zeroes on informal ACE entry summaries, it said. "Currently, ACE entry summary does not have the ability or fields to allow for reporting of the Ultimate Consignee's name and address" and there are "no changes to reporting requirements for the Ultimate Consignee's identification on informal entries processed in" ACE, it said.

International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for April 27 - May 1 in case they were missed.