U.S. Customs and Border Protection has updated its schedule for deploying additional functionality to the Automated Commercial Environment. ACE functionality, including data reports, can help importers and others boost compliance and duty savings efforts.
ACE Portal. CBP newly plans to deploy this September a change that will incorporate two-factor authentication for ACE portal login via email or SMS notification.
Business Identifiers. Still on hold is functionality that (1) expands the global business identifier proof of concept enrollment process by enabling trade users to submit one, two, or all three of the global identifiers for any party type, (2) adds an additional free text field allowing filers to input additional descriptions about the party/GBI number provided, and (3) includes a new GBI identifier qualifier (ALTA) and expands the GBI identifier field from 20 to 35 characters.
Collections. CBP has moved back to September the addition of ACH debit through pay.gov as another option for vessel agents to complete maritime fee payments.
Exports. CBP has delayed indefinitely the addition of the standardized message formats of X12 and EDIFACT (currently used to submit import truck manifest information) as options for electronic export truck manifest submissions.
Mail shipments. Still on the schedule for Sept. 22 is the creation of a new entry type 13 for U.S. mail shipments and enabling filers to provide CBP with mail shipment information via an ACE cargo release filing.
Manifests. CBP has moved up to September an enhancement modernizing ACE rail manifest electronic data interchange services but still plans to make similar enhancements for ocean manifest EDI services, the air manifest user interface, and the in-bond external interfaces and application programming interfaces in October.
Sanctions. Implementing the collection of new data elements to enable targeting of merchandise subject to sanctions on Russian diamonds and seafood remain on hold.
Removed
The following enhancements reported previously do not appear on the most recent ACE functionality schedule.
Cargo Descriptions – automated rejection of insufficient manifest cargo descriptions
De Minimis Shipments – addition of bond validations for low-value shipments
Detentions – integration of detention record data in ACE with other CBP applications for streamlined detention process management
In-bonds – a modernization of ACE in-bond processing, including the QP and WP message transactions, and improvements to CBP’s ability to collect penalty payments assessed to parties that fail to meet in-bond shipment requirements
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