On April 26, 2006, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on "Authorization of Customs and Trade Functions" in order to review the operation of customs and trade functions in the federal government. This review will assist the Finance Committee in preparing legislation to reauthorize those functions.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted to its Web site a report for the trade regarding the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE)/International Trade Data System (ITDS) Standard Data Set (SDS), which is updated through February 20, 2006 and is based on SDS version 4.4.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued an administrative message regarding the Customs and Trade Automated Interface Requirements (CATAIR) FC01 input record which states that page OGA-24 (Other Government Agencies) of the CATAIR was changed in Amendment 1 (dated March 2005) to allow for the submission of new Federal Communications Commission (FCC) import condition 5A (the described equipment is a non-U.S. standard cellular phone than can only function outside of the U.S.).
In ITT's 11/15/04 news, 04111505, Part I of BP's summary on U.S. Customs and Border Protection's (CBP's) expanded and revised FAQ on mandatory advance electronic information requirements for truck cargo should refer to this FAQ as the "November 10, 2004" version (rather than the "October 10, 2004" version) in the first and third paragraphs. ITT's Online Archives have been corrected to reflect the correct November 10, 2004 date.
According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the first phase of its plan to require new broadcast television receiving equipment to include the capability to receive digital television (DTV) signals took effect July 1, 2004.
The Departmental Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (COAC) held a quarterly meeting on June 18, 2004 in Washington, DC to discuss and receive updates from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials on various trade and customs issues.
The Journal of Commerce reports that the DHS Bureau of Transportation and Security Directorate (BTS) Container Working Group, which is working on "secure systems of transportation" and container seals and locks, is thinking about leveraging DHS' scarce assets, including whether the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA's) known-shipper program can somehow help the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT). The article notes that the CWG intends to present the results of its work to the Departmental Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (COAC) and obtain input from technology providers. (JoC dated 05/17-23/04, www.joc.com.)
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has posted to its Web site a letter to inform manufacturers, importers and distributors of imported candy that the FDA intends to publish at a future date a guidance document that will reduce its guidance level for considering enforcement action against candy products containing lead.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted to its Web site the Winter 2003 issue of its "ACE Modernization Monitor" newsletter.