WASHINGTON: US Customs and Border Protection said Monday that it’s extending its November deadline for the ACE “single window” program until February, after a rash of complaints and concerns from brokers, shippers and others who said they aren’t ready for the new system.
Many US shippers have told the agency in recent months they were running out of time and more internal agency checks were needed before the rollout of the Customs’ new automated commercial environment, or ACE.
The single window system promises to consolidate, automate and modernize border processing. When complete, its single, electronic portal will allow importers and exporters to share trade documents with government agencies, saving shippers and brokers’ time and money.
Shippers groups such as the Trade Leadership Council, however, voiced concerns that the program is not entirely ready and many of the importers, exporters, customs house brokers, freight forwarders and carriers they represent simply aren’t prepared.
The message apparently hit home with Customs. Agency officials said Monday that due to the response from the trade industry, they would be postponing the full rollout of ACE until Feb. 28, 2016.
Instead, “Nov. 1 will represent the beginning of a transition period for CBP,” said Deborah Augustin, acting executive director at the ACE Business Office. It means more time to test the system and for agencies and industry partners to provide feedback, she said.
Nevertheless, “by Feb. 27, 2016, industry partners will be expected to transition,” she added.
Monday’s announcement stands in sharp contrast to Customs’ remarks just two weeks ago, when the agency said it was standing by its Nov. 1 deadline. Customs officials told media earlier this month that the agency would not be backing down from the November rollout, regardless of industry concerns.
Customs, though, did say at the time it was “actively assessing the stakeholder readiness.”
The news that the federal agency had reversed course met a warm welcome in the trade community. Many like the Express Association of America were on the stakeholders’ conference call when Customs first announced the change.
“We’re grateful for the change and the transparency from CBP,” an association representative said.
