It is another busy month at NAFTZ! With so many of our members wearing multiple hats in their organizations, let’s start with updates from the trade compliance landscape first then dive into the weeds for FTZ-specific issues.

CBP Trade Facilitation & Cargo Security Summit

U.S. Customs & Border Protection held its annual Trade Facilitation & Cargo Security Summit in Philadelphia the last week in March. It should come as no surprise that the hot topics on CBP’s agenda are forced labor in global supply chains, de minimis, the next generation of ACE, the fight to thwart fentanyl and other synthetic drugs, CTPAT in the context of all of these issues and the new kid on the block…artificial intelligence and its place in trade and trade compliance. The NAFTZ had many members in attendance who took the opportunity to impress upon CBP to keep the FTZ program on their radar as CBP considers and addresses changes in operational policies or discusses supply chain strategies with other agencies.

BIS

Originally scheduled in November, the Bureau of Industry & Security held its annual Update conference in Washington, D.C. also the last week in March. This was an unfortunate reschedule as the conference directly overlapped with CBP’s Trade Summit leaving many in the trade with the challenge of choosing between the two. Interestingly, BIS also focused heavily on artificial intelligence while addressing such critical topics as sanctions against Russia, export restraints with China, increased enforcement mechanisms and the further alignment of the export control agencies from an operational and enforcement perspective. Hopefully, next year the agencies will do a better job of comparing calendars!

USTR Seeking Comments on Supply Chain Resiliency

The Office of the United States Trade Representative issued a Federal Register Notice seeking comments on ways in which to develop “sector-specific policy tools, strengthening domestic manufacturing and services, collaborating with like-minded trading partners and allies, and measuring resilience.” Given the important role of the FTZ program in the U.S. economic and supply chain infrastructure, the NAFTZ worked quickly to convene a task force to prepare testimony and to submit comments to USTR by the April 22^nd deadline. The thrust of the comments will focus on the role of FTZs in supply chain transparency, security, diversity and sustainability along with ways in which USTR can leverage the FTZ program to achieve supply chain resilience. Thanks to all of the task force members (there were many!) for jumping in and for your hard work!

NAFTZ & CBP Collaboration on Regional Event

The NAFTZ Executive Committee has been collaborating with CBP Headquarters to launch a regional CBP/FTZ Connection Event. The event will be housed virtually and will provide a roundtable forum to connect CBP Headquarters, regional CBP and our FTZ members of the trade. Stay tuned for further details coming early this summer!

CBP Training

As part of our monthly meeting with CBP Headquarters, the NAFTZ has been discussing ways the Association can help CBP with the training that CBP provides its internal CBP team on the FTZ program. CBP conducts annual training on a variety of topics including FTZs at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC). One of the ways we can help CBP continue to improve its training module is to provide CBP with real scenarios that our members have experienced in their FTZ environment. The NAFTZ is compiling those scenarios and is calling on members to provide their examples if there are scenarios you would like to have included in that list. Please feel free to send those scenarios to Jeff Tafel!

Finally, we are looking forward to seeing everyone in Long Beach, CA for the Spring Seminar. Our Program Committee and internal NAFTZ team is ready to host you in California with another great educational event.

By:

Shannon Fura, Page Fura P.C.

Chair