Collections Process to be Modernized
U.S. Customs and Border Protection reports that it has been awarded $15 million to develop a cloud-based system for collecting customs duties, taxes, and fees. “This award will make for a more efficient, secure, and reliable collections process for importers,” said Brenda Smith, executive assistant commissioner for CBP’s Office of Trade.
CBP states that it deployed its first ACE collections release in September 2019 by moving automated clearing house debit/credit processing to the CBP Amazon Web Service Cloud Environment and eliminating the manual processes for reconciling ACE and ACS mainframe data. The new funding, which was awarded by the Technology Modernization Fund, will help CBP migrate the remaining collections modules off the legacy mainframe and into the cloud environment.
Express Mail Processing Fee
CBP has issued an interim final rule that (1) establishes a new fee for processing inbound express mail service items, (2) requires the U.S. Postal Service to pay a percentage of this fee to CBP on a quarterly basis, (3) provides that inbound EMS items that are formally entered are also subject to a merchandise processing fee, if applicable, and (4) requires the Treasury Department to issue regulations regarding USPS’s quarterly remittances to CBP.
CBP states that these changes are designed to help prevent illicit opioids from reaching the U.S.
This rule is effective as of Aug. 4 (with one exception) and comments on it are due by Oct. 5.
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