U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted to its Web site its Performance and Annual Report Fiscal Year 2004, which covers federal fiscal year (FY) 2004 (October 1, 2003 - September 30, 2004), with discussion of some subsequent events.
Automated Commercial Environment (ACE)
The Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) is the CBP's electronic system through which the international trade community reports imports and exports to and from the U.S. and the government determines admissibility.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted to its Web site a memorandum which it states clarifies Pre-Arrival Processing System (PAPS) invoice policy and other release issues.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a press release stating that beginning May 1, 2005, drivers transporting shipments using the Border Release Advance Screening and Selectivity (BRASS) release system may do so only if they have been issued a Free and Secure Trade (FAST) driver identification card.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a notice announcing that the next meeting of the Departmental Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of Customs and Border Protection and Related Functions (COAC) will be held on May 5, 2005 in Washington, DC. (This committee was previously called the "Treasury Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of the U.S. Customs Service.")
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) sources have confirmed by phone that CBP will begin enforcing the Free And Secure Trade (FAST) Card requirement for Border Release Advance Screening and Selectivity (BRASS) shipment drivers at all ports1 on May 1, 2005.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has updated its document on the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) entitled Information for New Accounts - Account Activation Process, which summarizes the relevant data to be gathered and submitted by trade participants and explains the Account Access Privileges for each user-type (i.e. brokers, carriers, and importers) to access the ACE Secure Data Portal.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted to its Web site the March 2005 issue of its U.S. Customs and Border Protection Modernization newsletter which discusses, among other things, CBP's plan to launch (i.e., implement) the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Release 4 (Truck Manifest) at ports in geographic clusters, starting with the Blaine cluster.
In a March 14, 2005 letter addressed to trade members and Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) account participants, the Director of U.S. Customs and Border Protection's (CBP's) Office of Trade Relations requested comments on ACE.
The Justice Department has issued a press release announcing that U.S. Attorneys from five judicial districts with major ports announced criminal charges against Evergreen International, S.A. (Evergreen). Under the terms of a plea agreement, Evergreen will pay $25 million, the largest-ever amount for a case involving deliberate vessel pollution, and plead guilty to felony charges brought in Los Angeles, CA; Newark, NJ; Portland, OR; Seattle, WA; and Charleston, SC. (Justice Dept press release, dated 04/04/05, available at http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2005/April/05_enrd_159.htm.)
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued a report entitled, Information Technology: Customs Automated Commercial Environment Program Progressing, but Need for Management Improvements Continues.