The Automated Commercial Environment is the next-generation commercial trade processing system being developed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. ACE is designed to expedite lawful international trade transactions while enhancing border and economic security.
The elements of ACE that have been implemented to date illustrate how the public and private sectors are working together to create a system that both facilitates legitimate trade and increases security against illegal and dangerous shipments. Features like periodic statements and electronic truck manifests are automating and streamlining what were previously time-consuming and labor-intensive transactions, helping to move goods through ports and into the consumer market faster and at lower cost. ACE also provides national account-based processing and data views as CBP moves away from transaction- and paper-based processing. In addition, ACE tools provide CBP personnel with more and better information to decide – before a shipment reaches U.S. borders – what cargo should be targeted because it poses a potential risk and what cargo should be expedited because it complies with U.S. laws. By providing the right information and tools, ACE will be a critical element in enforcing trade laws and preventing cargo from becoming an instrument of terrorism.
Secure Data Portal
The CBP transition to account-based processing began in October 2003 with the launch of the ACE Secure Data Portal. This customized Web page provides a single, centralized, online access point to enter, retrieve and view trade information. Currently, there are over 7,200 ACE portal accounts, including nearly 900 importer accounts, almost 600 broker accounts and close to 6,000 carrier accounts.
“ACE is essentially a single window for the trade community and other participating government agencies, enabling key stakeholders to visit a single online access point for communications and information about international cargo shipments,” said CBP Assistant Commissioner for Information and Technology Rod MacDonald. The system is designed to allow importers, customs brokers and others to enter trade data once in a single location and to enable federal agencies to view the information relevant to their regulatory and enforcement efforts. The participation of those agencies in the ACE process is being accomplished through the International Trade Data System.
Periodic Monthly Statements
The periodic monthly statement feature simplifies the processing of duties and fees for importers and brokers with ACE accounts. Duties and fees no longer have to be paid on a per-transaction basis; instead, ACE periodic payment users have the ability to wait until the 15th working day of the next month to submit payments for shipments released during the previous calendar month. More than $10 billion in duties and fees have been paid through this process since the first such payment was made in July 2004. This feature also enables companies to more easily track their activities through customized account views and reports that better meet their business needs.
E-Manifest
All truck carriers entering the U.S. are required to submit manifests detailing shipment, carrier and other information. ACE includes a feature that allows truck carriers to meet this requirement electronically. This e-manifest feature is available at all land border ports of entry where ACE is operational. To date, more than 290,000 truck e-manifests have been filed and more than 440 companies have met CBP compatibility tests to file e-manifests. Carriers using e-manifests have reported that instances where drivers are required to get out of their trucks to complete cargo processing at the border have declined by about 50 percent.
CBP is now in the process of making the filing of e-manifests mandatory, using a phased-in approach. This requirement is currently in effect at all land border ports in Washington, Arizona, California, Texas and New Mexico as well as the ports of Pembina, Neche, Walhalla, Maida, Hannah, Sarles and Hansboro, N.D. E-manifest filing will also become mandatory at all land border ports in Michigan and New York May 24.
Future Developments
ACE has been deployed at 78 land border crossings so far and CBP expects the system to be available at all 99 by the end of 2007. Additional features will continue to be rolled out, including new capabilities for (a) entry summaries, accounts and revenue and (b) cargo, transactions and enforcement. ACE will eventually extend to all 300+ U.S. ports of entry once capabilities are developed and implemented for air, rail and sea cargo processing.
