February 20, 2003  

REALITY WITH AMPS FOR IMPORTERS, EXPORTERS, CARRIERS

This information is part of our ongoing effort to improve compliance and help you avoid unnecessary penalties under the Administrative Monetary Penalty System (AMPS).

One of our fundamental underlying principles is that our clients will abide by the laws if these laws are understood and you are aware of the consequences of non-compliance. In order to do this, we realize that you require both the information and understanding of your obligations under the law.

Since the implementation of AMPS on October 7, 2002, a total of 4,050 monetary penalties have been issued nationally. The most frequently issued contraventions include C007 which is applied against a highway carrier or freight forwarder when the cargo control document or release request does not include the required bar codes; C336 which is applied against an importer of imported goods or their broker when the K84 is not paid by the date specified on the K84; C005 which is applied against an importer, exporter or carrier when information required to be provided in any permit, certificate, licence, document or declaration is incorrect; C170 which is applied against an exporter when an export declaration is not provided prior to goods being exported.

This is the reality of AMPS – the financial implications to your company may become significant. We want to ensure that you have all the necessary information concerning specific regulations to allow you to avoid the imposition of AMPS.

In addition, Customs Notice N-495 was posted to the CCRA website (www.ccra-adrc.gc.ca) on January 24, 2003 and announces proposed changes to the reporting requirements of goods exported from Canada. The Reporting of Exported Goods Regulations will be amended to clarify who must report exported goods, time periods for exporter reports (when and where) and under what circumstances an export report must be made. When the proposed regulations become law and the related regulatory provisions are designated in the Designated Provisions (Customs) Regulations, export AMPS penalties will be applied in any circumstance where a person fails to comply with the export provisions.

To address these issues, the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (CCRA), Customs Verification & Services is offering information sessions at no cost to clients on the Administrative Monetary Penalty System (AMPS) and the new Exporting Requirements.

The AMPS presentation includes a general overview as well as some of the most common contraventions to date. In addition, we will be discussing changes to the Reject Document Control Form Y50 for AMPS purposes.

The Exporting presentation includes an overview of general export procedures as well as the proposed changes to the regulations and future implications under AMPS.

Speakers at these information sessions will be Paul Coulombe and Fran Biro (Client Services, Southern Ontario Region) and Laura Kolesnikowicz (Customs Action Plan Coordinator, Fort Erie/Niagara District). A schedule of sessions and application is available at the following address:

http://www.cscb.ca/listinfo/southernontamps.pdf. (Requires Adobe acrobat reader)

Please forward your completed registration form to Zora Karic, Course Registrar. Registration will be accepted on a first come, first serve basis. [Ms. Karic’s telephone number is 905-308-8636 and her fax number is 905-308-8616.]