The Automated Commercial Environment is the still-new system of record for Customs and Border Protection when it comes to processing entries. The system, in development for decades, has been delivering releases to the trade which impacts us as Customs brokers and freight forwarders, but also impacts importers and exporters as well.
For instance, did you know that importers can sign up for an ACE Portal Account that lets them manage all of their entries and communications with Customs as well? ACE is also coming to export as well, as the information filed in AES will be available for reporting there, too.
ACE has also given Customs the flexibility to move processing of entries and entry summaries around their system, notably with the opening and expansion of their Centers of Excellence and Expertise. Customs has marshaled talent across the country and opened physical (and virtual) CEE’s in key geographic locations to serve particular industries.
CBP has announced that on September 16th the next phase of ACE Deployment will take place and the following processes will be moved to ACE:
On September 16, 2017, CBP will deploy Duty Deferral capabilities in ACE at which time Duty Deferral entries will no longer be filed/processed in ACS and must be done via ACE. Data will be migrated from ACS to ACE, so even if the Duty Deferral process began in ACS, Duty Deferral information submitted on/or after September 16 must be filed in ACE. Trade users will not need to re-enter Duty Deferral information in ACE that was transmitted to ACS.
The majority of Duty Deferral processing will remain the same in ACE as it has been in ACS.
Coppersmith’s team of programmers and developers were at the forefront of ABI, the precursor system to ACE. We remain so in this new environment and to the best of our abilities to manage our connection to Customs, we are ready for this changeover in processing.
For more information about ACE, ACE Portals and how Coppersmith can help you manage import and export compliance and your communication with CBP, contact us today.
