US Customs and Border Protection has announced that it is clamping down on the use of vague descriptions of shipments submitted through the Air Cargo Advance Screening (ACAS).
US CBP said that from October 7, carriers and other parties electing to file ACAS data to US CBP will be required to lodge a precise description of the cargo.
This means that descriptions such as “gifts”, “accessories”, “parts”, “appliances”, “caps” and “leather articles” will no longer be accepted.
In a statement, US CBP stated: “ACAS filers are expected to process these warning and rejection notifications and work to correct the issue with the shipper and bill of lading issuer for compliance on that shipment.
“ACAS filers, whether air carriers or parties electing to file, are expected to screen data for compliance with cargo declaration regulations.
“Corrective action is expected immediately. If CBP identifies any enforcement concerns, CBP may take additional actions.”
This is the latest example of US CBP instigating greater enforcement on shipments entering the country, in particular those that come under the $800 de minimis threshold.
The highest profile instance of this came In July when the US CBP suspended “multiple customs brokers” from its Entry Type 86 Test programme that covers de minimis shipments. There have also been numerous reports of increased scrutiny of Entry Type 86 shipments resulting in delays at borders and cancelled flights.
Hurricane is already supporting carriers, freight forwarders, customs brokers, postal authorities and others involved in the global supply chain, enabling them to ensure their data is complete, accurate and timely and therefore able to meet the clampdown by US CBP.
The company’s true AI-driven solutions cover the critical areas of data validation, duty and tax calculation, prohibited and restricted goods screening and denied parties screening.
Laurie Cieciuch, Hurricane’s Partnerships Director – North America, said: “This is the latest announcement from US CBP highlighting the clampdown on goods which do not have the right data.
“As of October 7, vague descriptions will no longer be acceptable. Instead, precise descriptions of items being shipped will be required.
“The suspensions we saw earlier in the summer demonstrate that US CBP is backing up what it is saying with tough actions.
“Having the right data not only means regulatory compliance, it’s also the only way to achieve greater operational efficiency, customer experience and strategic growth opportunities.”
- Contact Laurie to find out more about how Hurricane’s best-in-class data solutions can enable your business to meet the new requirements of US CBP – laurie.cieciuch@hurricanecommerce.com
