Brazil's Authorized Economic Operators as Good as Ours, CBP Says

CBP and Brazil's customs authority, Receita Federal, are mutually recognizing each other's Authorized Economic Operator programs with a Mutual Recognition Arrangement.

The announcement marks the culmination of cooperation that began in 2002 with a mutual assistance agreement, and continued with a container security initiative before work began on work toward AEO supply chain security, CBP's press release said. It allows CBP's CTPAT program to recognize the validation findings of Brazil's AEO program, and vice versa.

CBP began working with Brazil on a AEO program six years ago. "The signing of this MRA is the next step in ensuring compatibility between each nation’s trade and security programs while advancing to the next phase of joint work," CBP said Sept. 16.