| Title: | DELAY IMPLEMENTATION STAGE 3 BIOTERRORISM ACT ENFORCMNT |
|---|---|
| Date: | 2004-05-18 |
| To: | abi |
| Links: | previous, next |
U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION IS DELAYING THE INSTALLATION OF
OF PROGRAMMING CHANGES FOR ENFORCEMENT OF THE PRIOR NOTICE BIOTERRORISM
REQUIREMENTS IN ITS AUTOMATED SYSTEMS THAT WERE SCHEDULED TO BECOME
EFFECTIVE THE MORNING OF WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 2004. THESE CHANGES WOULD
HAVE MADE FAILURE TO SUBMIT ALL MANDATORY PRIOR NOTICE (PN) DATA
ELEMENTS CAUSE FOR REJECTION BY THE AUTOMATED BROKER INTERFACE.
CBP AND FDA ANTICIPATE MOVING THE SOFTWARE CHANGES INTO PRODUCTION AFTER
A FEW WEEKS OF ADDITIONAL MONITORING. CBP WILL UTILIZE THIS TIME TO
BETTER IDENTIFY AND QUANTIFY THE PERCENTAGES OF SHIPMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN
RECEIVING WARNINGS AND NOTING THEIR POSSIBLE EFFECT ON PORT OPERATIONS.
THIS DOES NOT NECESSITATE AN AUTOMATIC DELAY OF THE FINAL STAGE OF BTA
ENFORCEMENT ON AUGUST 12, 2004. PN FILERS SHOULD ASSUME THAT THE
PHASE IV ENFORCEMENT WILL BEGIN ON TIME ON THAT DATE. FILERS SHOULD ALSO
REMAIN COGNIZANT THAT PN SUBMISSION PERIODS BEFORE THE SHIPMENT ARRIVAL
SHOULD TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ANY POSSIBLE TIME NEEDED TO DEAL WITH
CORRECTIONS REQUIRED, EITHER BY THE ABI SYSTEM OR BY FDA. SIMPLY FILING
PN WITHIN THE MINIMUM 2, 4, OR 8 HOUR WINDOW WILL NOT ALLOW TIME TO
REVIEW, CORRECT, AND SUBMIT CORRECTED PN SUFFICIENTLY IN ADVANCE OF
ARRIVAL TO AVOID A PN REFUSAL FROM FDA.
UPDATES WILL BE POSTED AS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE.
U. S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION
OFFICE OF FIELD OPERATIONS
TRADE COMPLIANCE AND FACILITATION
WASHINGTON, DC
202-927-0300
DATE: MAY 18, 2004