Background

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 has now scheduled for Sept. 12 a change that will add SMS message as a two-factor authentication method for ACE portal login.

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 and expands the GBI identifier field from 20 to 35 characters.

Collections. CBP has now set for Sept. 26 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 targeted Sept. 29 for an enhancement modernizing ACE rail manifest electronic data interchange services and Oct. 24 for similar enhancements for ocean manifest EDI services, the air manifest user interface, and the in-bond external interfaces and application programming interfaces.

Sanctions. Implementing the collection of new data elements to enable targeting of merchandise subject to sanctions on Russian diamonds and seafood remains on hold.

Removed

The following enhancements that have been listed in the past 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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