April 19, 2007
 

 

This article is extracted from the 19 April 2007 issue of “The Journal of Commerce”.
 

Customs and Border Protection later this year will launch the first phase of the Automated Commercial Environment, the agency’s long-awaited digital trade portal.
 

The $3-billion makeover of the computer system through which Customs will communicate with the trade community as well as other government agencies will be implemented in phases through 2011….
 

The key step in preparing for ACE is to register with Customs for an account because in the future Customs and the trade will interact on an account basis rather than transaction by transaction as has been the practice for more than 200 years.
 

“ACE is coming,” said Louis Samenfink, executive director of the cargo systems program office at Customs. “If you’re a broker and you don’t have an account, it means you’re preparing to go out of business,” he told the annual conference of the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America….
 

Customs this summer will roll out the first ACE module, Entry Summary Accounts and Revenue, which will provide the trade community with enhanced account management.
The ESAR A1 module will streamline the interactions between the trade community and Customs. Brokers, importers, carriers and other companies with accounts will access all of the available programs with a single password, rather than requiring a different password for each program as is the case now.
 

A much bigger rollout will occur in October or November of 2008 when Customs unveils ESAR A2, and will cover cargo release, entry summary, reconciliation at the line item level, document   presentation and other functions….