CSMS Message: 01-000513

MAY 11, 2001

ENT-14 FO:TP:IA:TA AL

TO : DIRECTORS, FIELD OPERATIONS

FROM: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, TRADE PROGRAMS
OFFICE OF FIELD OPERATIONS

PASS TO: PORT DIRECTORS; ASSISTANT PORT DIRECTORS, TRADE; IMPORT
SPECIALISTS; ENTRY SPECIALISTS; BROKERS;
IMPORTERS AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES

SUBJECT: SOFTWOOD LUMBER IMPORTATIONS AND THE AUTOMATED COMMERCIAL
SYSTEM (ACS)

AS OF MARCH 31, 2001 AT 11:59 P.M., EASTERN STANDARD TIME, THE U.S./
CANADA SOFTWOOD LUMBER AGREEMENT (SLA) EXPIRED. ENTRY SUMMARIES SHOULD
NOW HAVE BEEN FILED FOR ALL IMPORTS OF CANADIAN SOFTWOOD LUMBER
PRODUCTS SUBJECT TO THE SLA.

PRIOR TO THE EXPIRATION OF THE SLA, THIS OFFICE ISSUED MEMORANDA, DATED
MARCH 12, 2001 AND MARCH 20, 2001, WHICH PROVIDED INTERIM PROCEDURES
RELATING TO THE FILING OF SUMMARIES OF MERCHANDISE FORMERLY SUBJECT TO
THE AGREEMENT. THE IMPORTING COMMUNITY WAS INSTRUCTED TO TRANSMIT
A SERIES OF "7'S" IN THE EXPORT PERMIT FIELD AND "A00" OR "A" FOLLOWED
BY TWO SPACES IN THE PERMIT TYPE CODE FIELD VIA THE AUTOMATED BROKER
INTERFACE (ABI) UNTIL ACS PROGRAMMING REMOVING THE FIELDS WAS COMPLETED.

CUSTOMS HAS COMPLETED ACS PROGRAMMING TO REMOVE THESE FIELDS. EFFECTIVE
WITH SUMMARIES THAT HAVE A DUTY COMPUTATION DATE OF JULY 9, 2001,
CUSTOMS WILL WO LONGER ACCEPT EXPORT PERMIT AND PERMIT TYPE
CODE DATA FOR SOFTWOOD LUMBER IMPORTS FORMERLY SUBJECT TO THE SLA.
THEREFORE, ABI FILERS HAVE UNTIL ON OR BEFORE JULY 9, 2001, TO COMPLETE
PROGRAMMING TO STOP TRANSMITTING THIS INFORMATION.

PLEASE REFER SYSTEM RELATED QUESTIONS TO TONY CASUCCI, ACS ENTRY
SUMMARY SELECTIVITY BRANCH, OFFICE OF INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY,
AT (202) 927-1035. ANY OTHER INQUIRIES REGARDING THIS NOTICE FROM
THE IMPORTING COMMUNITY SHOULD BE REFERRED TO THEIR LOCAL CUSTOMS PORT.
THE CUSTOMS PORT MAY REFER QUESTIONS TO ARLENE LUGO, TRADE AGREEMENTS,
BRANCH AT (202) 927-4183, OR VIA CC:MAIL.

/SIGNED/
ELIZABETH G. DURANT

CC: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FIELD OPERATIONS
CC: DIRECTOR, SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT DIVISION