by Christopher Springer
A few weeks ago, the Federal Register published the dates for Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) deployment. ACE is really happening. The most relevant and time-sensitive portions are below, along with a brief interpretation (italicized text). For those wishing to read and interpret the official release themselves, please click here.
• Effective March 31, 2016, ACE will be the sole Customs and Border Protection (CBP)–authorized electronic date interchange (EDI) system for:
a. Electronic entry summaries for merchandise that is subject only to the import requirements of CBP, associated with the following entry types: 01 (consumption), 03 (consumption–antidumping/countervailing duty), 11 (informal), 23 (temporary importation under bond), 51 (Defense Contract Administration Service Region) and 52 (government–dutiable); and
If you file entry summary types 01, 03, 11, 23, 51, 52 that DO NOT have any Partner Government Agency (PGA) requirements, you should no longer file them in the Automated Commercial System (ACS) after March 31st. They will only be accepted through ACE. Above refers to entry summary.
It is extremely important to take into account the filing of the ACE summary for ACS release. ACS release allows the filing of the traditional Oracle Grants Accounting (OGA) data. If you are not doing ACE filings now, it is crunch time! If you are doing ACE, you are good to go.
b. Electronic entries and corresponding entry summaries associated with the above entry types, for merchandise subject to the Lacey Act import requirements of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), or to the import requirements of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and no other PGA requirements.
The “electronic entries” verbiage refers to cargo release, which also drives the PGA/OGA information. If ACE release is selected, PGA is sent, if selected. ACS releases traditional OGA. If your commodity requires Lacey and/or NHTSA PGA, then these must be done through ACE as of March 31st.
The phrase “… no other PGA requirements” is too vague to interpret. Just be ready for Lacey and NHTSA.
QuestaWeb is in the process of building guidance and knowledge. If you have any specific questions, please reach out to Chris Springer: cspringer@questaweb.com
• Effective May 28, 2016, ACE will be the sole CBP-authorized EDI system for:
a. Electronic entries for merchandise that is subject only to the import requirements of CBP associated with the following entry types: 01 (consumption), 03 (consumption–antidumping/countervailing duty), 11 (informal), 23 (temporary importation under bond), 51 (Defense Contract Administration Service Region) and 52 (government–dutiable).
b. Electronic entries and corresponding entry summaries associated with entry type 06 (consumption–foreign trade zone), for merchandise that is subject only to the import requirements of CBP; or for merchandise subject to the import requirements of APHIS (Lacey Act) or NHTSA, and no other PGA requirements.
