International Trade Today is providing readers with the top stories from March 15-19 in case they were missed. All articles can be found by searching on the titles or by clicking on the hyperlinked reference number.

CBP is embarking “in earnest” on a process to develop a legislative package on a scale not seen since the Customs Modernization Act of 1993, said John Leonard, CBP executive director-trade policy and programs, at the March 17 meeting of the Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee. Coming out of the agency’s work on the 21st Century Customs Framework (see 2011120010), the effort will begin with a new task force to provide a transparent “vehicle” to work with the trade community on the details of the legislation.

CBP posted multiple documents ahead of the March 17 Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) meeting:

CBP plans to propose some new requirements for importing low-value shipments, Craig Clark of the Office of the Commissioner, Office of Trade Relations, said during the virtual Advisory Committee on Supply Chain Competitiveness (ACSCC) meeting Jan. 28. “We are taking steps to integrate the results of both the [Section] 321 data pilot and the Entry Type 86 test into a new Section 321 data collection process through a notice of proposed rulemaking,” he said. “Included in that NPRM is a requirement for mandatory security data elements for all Section 321 shipments, and that is going to be agnostic to the mode of transportation and will include international mail as well as additional mandatory data elements if an entry is filed,” he said.

CBP posted multiple documents ahead of the Dec. 16 Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) meeting:

The Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) for CBP will next meet remotely on Dec. 16, CBP said in a notice. Comments are due in writing by Dec. 15.

CBP has identified three primary goals for the 21st Century Customs Framework, which has the potential to upend the approach to customs processing, said Maranda Kan, acting director of trade modernization, Office of Trade. Those goals are: “to achieve end-to-end supply chain transparency; to drive data-centric decision-making; and to diversify reasonable care standards,” she told a virtual U.S. Fashion Industry Association event Nov. 10.

CBP has some qualms with the operational aspects of ending the de minimis exemption for goods subject to Section 301 tariffs, Executive Assistant Commissioner for International Trade Brenda Smith said while speaking on the virtual Coalition of New England Companies for Trade conference on Nov. 9. There's a CBP proposal for the change that's under Office of Management and Budget review (see 2009040026). “We do have some concerns,” she said.

A potential expansion of CBP authority under the Enforce and Protect Act that would apply to malfeasance beyond the evasion of antidumping or countervailing duties will be part of the agency's 21st Century Customs Framework discussion, CBP Executive Assistant Commissioner for International Trade Brenda Smith said during an Oct. 21 conference call with reporters. Smith last year mentioned the possibility of an expanded authority (see 1907240025). Currently, CBP uses the EAPA processes only to investigate AD/CV duty evasion.

CBP posted recordings and some frequently asked questions from each of the sessions during the agency's Virtual Trade Week (see 2009110014), 2009090057, 2009100002 and 2009100049).