AAEI Meets with Senate Staff on 21CCF
AAEI met with the staff of Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) today to discuss his legislative proposal for customs modernization. AAEI learned that many of the Association’s general priorities are being considered. AAEI also provided additional feedback on additional facilitative measures. There is speculation that a bill would be introduced by July. However, the bill still would need to be marked up by the Senate Finance Committee in the next 6-to-12 months.
AAEI Leaders Approve "Next Generation Priorities"
AAEI’s Customs Committee has developed priority recommendations for customs modernization that the Board of Governors reviewed, fine tuned and approved this week. It includes a list of trade priorities on issues that are critical for AAEI members and will be a foundation for AAEI action in the months ahead. AAEI’s Customs Committee will be discussing many of these priorities at its next meeting in July. Read AAEI’s Next Generation Customs Core Policy Principles. AAEI committee meetings are for members only. For more information on AAEI membership, please click here.
AAEI Signs On to Coalition Letter to Congress
AAEI and 13 other business and trade associations, which have formed a coalition to draft Customs Modernization Reauthorization Proposals, sent a letter to Congressional leaders this week, saying that any comprehensive legislation on customs modernization must “include a robust trade facilitation component that supports our nation’s competitiveness.” The coalition was organized by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. While the coalition letter covers some of AAEI’s general priorities, AAEI’s list of priorities provide directly the issues that are critical for AAEI. Read the coalition letter to lawmakers on trade.
COAC Withholds Full Support of CBP's 21CCF in Latest Report
The Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) released its latest report on U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP’s) 21st Century Customs Framework (21CCF) project, and withheld its full support for all of CBP’s enforcement proposals. COAC backed 17 of the enforcement proposals but 5 remaining proposals did not get COAC’s endorsement, including one on fraud investigations that COAC rejected entirely. COAC also expressed frustration that CBP hasn’t adopted many of its trade facilitation recommendations. “COAC and the broader trade community cannot endorse CBP’s modified 21CCF package in the absence of meaningful legislative trade facilitation measures.” COAC’s next public meeting is on June 14, 2013. Read COAC’s June 2023 report on 21CCF.
Official Hints a Blinken Trip to China
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken reportedly is preparing to travel to China for talks in the coming weeks, according to an anonymous U.S. official. The trip could be a major step in President Biden’s efforts to engage with China on various issues, including trade. Read more from Reuters.