ACE Capabilities on Entry Processing, Manifests, Etc. to be Expanded

( WorldTrade Interactive)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is working to expand the capabilities of the Automated Commercial Environment over the next six to nine months. CBP has also outlined the additional functionality that will be offered in future ACE releases.

Entry Processing
• A2.2 – In mid-2009 CBP plans to launch a test of ACE’s new entry summary, accounts and revenue capabilities (ESAR II, or A2.2), which will include functionality specific to the filing and processing of formal consumption entries and informal entries (type 01 and 11). CBP is expected to soon publish in the Federal Register a notice setting forth the schedule for the deployment of this test to specified ports. Testing is scheduled to begin in February for a limited number of “early adopters.”

Under A2.2 entry types 01 and 11 will be able to be sent to either ACE or the Automated Commercial System. ACE filers will not have to file all such entries in ACE; so long as they are ACS certified they can choose to transmit any of their entries via ACS. Data for ACE reports will be extracted from both ACE and ACS.

A2.2 will include a new process allowing filers to electronically correct Census Bureau warnings through the submission of an override code. These codes can be used to preempt Census warnings before they happen or to fix errors that cause a warning at the time of filing.

A2.2 will also allow various types of declarations to be included in the ACE filing, including manufacturer affidavits, certain marking rulings, importer certifying statements, NAFTA certificates of origin and non-reimbursement blanket statements for antidumping and countervailing duties.

Under A2.2 CBP forms 28 (Request for Information), 29 (Notice of Action) and 4647 (Notice to Mark and/or Notice to Redeliver) will be created by CBP and stored in a national database. If an ACE account holder elects to receive communications via the ACE portal, these forms will be posted to their task list in the portal and they will be able to interactively respond and attach/upload documents.

Other new functionality in A2.2 includes an expansion of the ACE reporting tool. Read the complete article here.