Department of Homeland Security Customs and Border Protection. Centers of Excellence and Expertise

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1 Department of Homeland Security Customs and Border Protection Centers of Excellence and Expertise 1

2 Center Mission Statement The Centers of Excellence and Expertise strengthen America s economic competitiveness and security through integrated industry knowledge and expertise, innovative trade processing procedures and trend analysis, global collaboration, and strategic and impactful trade enforcement actions. The Centers: Strategically process post-release trade activities within industry sectors on a national basis Focus on industry-specific efficiencies to facilitate trade, reduce transaction costs, and increase uniformity and consistency Serve as an industry-focused resource for the public and private sectors Assess trade risks on an account and industry-wide basis to increase compliance with import laws, protect the American public and economy, and enhance the effectiveness of enforcement efforts 2

3 What are Centers of Excellence and Expertise? Industry-focused and account-based points of virtual processing for post-release trade activities Aligned by 10 key industry sectors in strategic locations Consolidate existing expertise and build industryspecific education to authoritatively facilitate trade Centers Provide national overview of accounts (importers) to identify areas for further facilitation or corrective action Serve as a resource to the broader trade community and to CBP s U.S. government partners Centers will be integrated into every facet of the trade process; from pre-arrival to final liquidation 3

4 Why Centers? Objective: Focus on industry-specific issues Facilitation Reduce transaction costs Increase compliance Increase uniformity of treatment Past processing: Company imports into 60 ports of entry 60 ports conduct entry summary reviews Centers Company imports into 60 ports of entry Single Center conducts entry summary reviews 4

5 Goals of Centers 1. Increase industry-based knowledge within CBP - Advance cross-education to raise industry knowledge - Engage industry groups and key stakeholders - Identify industry trends and commercial threats 2. Facilitate legitimate trade through effective risk segmentation - Utilize account based methods to process trade - Expand partnerships - move more importers to trusted trader status - Develop and implement comprehensive strategies to manage risk 3. Enhance enforcement and address industry risks - Leverage industry to identify issues of mutual interest to provide CBP with targeting, enforcement, and/or intelligence information - Coordinate enforcement efforts by industry to address unique risks 5

6 Action Eliminates unnecessary duplicative work from compliant imports Ports of Entry focus shifts to high-risk shipments Centralized office for trade inquiries Cross-functional expertise What are the benefits? Benefits Fewer cargo delays Reduced costs Greater predictability More complex enforcement work Improved enforcement results: o Increased import safety o Increased revenue protection o Reduced economic loss to IPR theft Improved relationship with CBP as small/medium-sized importers have a streamlined inquiry process for resolving concerns Increased uniformity and transparency for the trade Environment for in-depth learning to increase CBP expertise and therefore enforcement 6

7 CBP s Trusted Trader Programs CTPAT - Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism Part of CBP s multi layered enforcement strategy CBP works with the trade community to strengthen international supply chains and improve United States border security. Applicants must address a broad range of security topics and present security profiles that list action plans to align security throughout the supply chain. CBP s Trade partners span the gamut of account types Expand partnerships - move more importers to trusted trader status C TPAT members are considered to be of low risk, and are therefore less likely to be examined at a U.S. port of entry and are accorded additional benefits ISA - Importer Self Assessment A trade facilitation partnership program as a voluntary approach to trade compliance Goal of evaluating and building importers systems of internal controls while strengthening the lines of communication between the trade and CBP Participants must be C-TPAT certified and a U.S. or Canada resident importer Benefits of ISA membership include expedited cargo release, Importer Trade Activity (ITRAC) Data free of charge, and removal from Regulatory Audit s audit pool 7

8 Centers of Excellence and Expertise Industrial & Manufacturing Materials Apparel, Footwear & Textiles Base Metals Automotive & Aerospace Pharmaceuticals, Health & Chemicals Electronics Consumer Products & Mass Merchandising Machinery Petroleum, Natural Gas & Minerals Agriculture & Prepared Products 8

9 Center Organizational Structure Center Director Authority for nationwide trade processing Equal to a Port Director and reports to the Director, Field Operations Assistant Center Director Manages a division within a Center Equal to an Assistant Port Director DFO ADFO/Trade Port Director Port Director Center Director Assistant Port Directors (Passenger, Tactical, Cargo) Assistant Port Directors (Passenger, Tactical, Cargo) Assistant Center Directors (Partnership, Enforcement, Validation & Compliance ) 9

10 Center Divisions Partnership Division Contains multidisciplinary teams that process the trusted trader accounts and engage in cross-education efforts with the industry community. Validation and Compliance Division Includes multiple Import Specialist teams and separate entry teams that process importers within the industry and applying risk segmentation schemes. Enforcement Division Multidisciplinary teams that handle enforcement issues for the industry and develop strategic operations (i.e. trademark, patent, health and safety, ADCVD) 10

11 Center Staff Centers will be staffed with existing trade and revenue positions Assistant Center Directors Transitioned to Centers Import Specialists- Transitioned to Centers Entry Specialists- allocation framework and options for transition being developed Employees will remain in their physical location at the Ports of Entry and transition to a Center Center chain of command Multi-disciplinary teams across the nation 11

12 Operational Status 10 Centers are fully operational as of March 23, 2016 Permanent Staffing Assistant Center Directors National Account Managers Import Specialists Trade Functionality Post-release trade activities are routed to appropriate Center Tariff level routing until true account based processing at importer level is achieved Center staff support all trade work Generated by the Center Generated by the local port where the employee is physically located 12

13 Regulatory Implementation of the Centers Interim Final Rule dated December 20, 2016 Established the Centers as a permanent organizational component of CBP Distinguished port director functions from center director functions Identified the Center management offices Defined the Center and Center directors Centers are national CBP offices responsible for performing certain trade functions and making determinations for their assigned importers Center Director manages their designated Center and is responsible for certain trade functions and decisions Revised the definition of port director The person who has jurisdiction within the geographical boundaries of their port of entry unless exclusively granted to another party 13

14 Account Based Processing Assignment of Importers Importers will generally be assigned to an industry category administered by a specific Center based on the classification of the predominant number of goods imported Importer s associated business practices, the intended use of the imported goods or the value of the imported goods will also be considered Importers will be assigned to one team within one of the Center s three Divisions depending on risk assessment and trusted trader status The assigned Center Team will handle all imports and related processes for the importer no matter where the good are entered Importers may appeal their Center assignment Brokers acting as Importer of Record Entry summaries will be processed by the Center relating to the predominant HTSUS number for the instant entry summary 14

15 Operational Authorities: End State Centers will be integrated into every facet of the trade process Pre-arrival, arrival, and cargo release Centers: trade admissibility risks and enforcement Port Directors: arrival and manifest processing; enforcement for narcotics, terrorism, agriculture, and other security risks; release authority Centers perform all post-release trade processing Entry summary review/verification, liquidation, protest, reconciliation, drawback, liquidated damage and penalty initiation, commercial fraud case development, collaboration with HSI, analysis of trade to determine risk and target areas of threat Policy analysis Centers provide subject-matter expertise to HQ policymakers on decisions affecting the Centers industry; ensure policy is executed uniformly 15

16 Trade Processes Ports Cargo Release Manifest Processing Cargo Holds and Examinations Cargo Movement (permit to transfer, inbond) Export Compliance Seizures and Penalties Agriculture Exams Bonded Movements, Bonded Warehouses, and Foreign Trade Zones Narcotics, Anti-Terrorism and Security Risks Importer Security Filing Review Centers Trade Admissibility Advice Entry Summary Reviews Free Trade Agreement Eligibility Review ADCVD Protests and Petitions Appraisals Post Summary Correction and Post Entry Adjustment CEAR Process Prior Disclosure Review Reconciliation Internal Advice Quota Processing 16

17 Center Mailbox

18 U.S. Customs and Border Protection Our Mission We are the guardians of our Nation s borders. We are America s frontline. We safeguard the American homeland at and beyond our borders. We protect the American public against terrorists and the instruments of terror. We steadfastly enforce the laws of the United States while fostering our nation s economic security through lawful international trade and travel. We serve the American public with vigilance, integrity and professionalism. 18