Automated Commercial Environment (ACE)

CBP should move to update the Business Rules document on Automated Commercial Environment Summary soon, National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America leaders recently told Brenda Smith, CBP assistant commissioner. "Although there is a Business Rules Document on ACE Summary, there is still some effort needed to update this publication," said the trade group's president, Geoffrey Powell, on the NCBFAA site (here). "There is an urgent need for the Business Rules document for Cargo Release as soon as possible, as opposed to April/May timeframe," he said. The document is important for training the industry and CBP, said Powell. "Many of our members rely heavily on the ACE Summary Business Rules Document daily when communicating with CBP, so there is mutual understanding of the issue at hand and how it needs to be addressed."

CBP posted a number of documents ahead of the second part of its Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) software developer session (here). The second part of sessions was rescheduled for March 27 at the U.S Department of Agriculture (here). The posted documents include the slides from several other agencies that were originally scheduled to present on March 4. The other agency presentations include:

CBP additional guidance for other agencies interacting with the Automated Commercial Environment (see 1503090013):

CBP posted the transcript (here) and presentation (here) from a March 4 webinar for Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) software developers.

The text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership remains shielded behind closed doors, but U.S. compliance professionals are preparing for the sharp rise in trade flows and increased filing hurdles that are expected to accompany future implementation of the pact, several brokers and compliance consultants said in recent days. TPP chief negotiators are meeting in Hawaii this week, and speculation is rising over a conclusion to the deal. U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman recently predicted a wrap-up of the talks at some point in 2015 (see 1502050058), but the U.S. has failed to meet deadlines set in the past by Froman and other TPP officials.

CBP posted the transcript (here) and presentation (here) from a March 9 webinar on Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) air import manifests.

CBP posted filing instructions within the Automated Commercial Environment for more participating government agencies (see1503090013) :

CBP posted filing instructions within the Automated Commercial Environment for participating government agencies:

Effective March 4, Air Manifest System certification in the Automated Commercial System will be disabled, said CBP in a CSMS message (here). The Automated Commercial Environment air manifest code will be migrated to the ACE Certification environment, it said.

CBP postponed the Automated Commercial Environment developer session that was scheduled for March 3-4, the agency said (here). The event was postponed because the agency was preparing for a possible shutdown due to a lapse in funding, it said.