CSMS Message: 93-000409

TO : ALL ABI BROKERS.

FROM : ROLAND BERNIER

SUBJECT : ABISUMMARY

DATE : 04/22/93

REISSUED AS A REMINDER ON APRIL 22, 1993

MARCH 4, 1993
3063011

ENT-1-CO:TO:E:CS RLB

CATEGORY: ENT

TO : ALL REGIONAL DIRECTORS (COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS),
DISTRICT, AREA AND PORT DIRECTORS

FROM : DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF TRADE OPERATIONS

RE : TRANSMISSION OF ABI ENTRIES AND ABI ENTRY SUMMARIES

PASS TO : ALL CUSTOMS OFFICERS AND ALL OTHER INTERESTED
PARTIES, SUCH AS BROKERS, IMPORTERS AND TRADE
ASSOCIATIONS

BACKGROUND:

AS A RESULT OF A RECENT INVESTIGATION UNDERTAKEN IN CONJUNCTION
WITH THE STATISTICAL RECONCILIATION BETWEEN THE U.S. AND JAPAN,
THE BUREAU OF THE CENSUS DISCOVERED LARGE DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN
JAPANESE EXPORTS AND U.S. IMPORTS OF AUTOMOBILES DURING THE
PERIOD JANUARY, 1990 THROUGH THE END OF DECEMBER, 1992.

THE DISCREPANCIES WERE CAUSED BY VARIOUS FACTORS, ALL RELATED TO
THE NON-SUBMISSION OF STATISTICAL DATA BY THE FILERS. THE
FAILURE TO PROVIDE STATISTICAL INFORMATION HAS WIDE-RANGING
IMPLICATIONS. IT DISTORTS THE BILATERAL TRADE FIGURES BETWEEN
THE U.S. AND OUR INDIVIDUAL TRADING PARTNERS, AS WELL AS
CONTRIBUTES TO THE MISCALCULATION OF THE U.S. TRADE DEFICIT. IN
ADDITION, NATIONAL TRADE POLICY DECISIONS ARE BASED ON ERRONEOUS
AND INADEQUATE INFORMATION. THE ERRORS ALSO BRING INTO QUESTION
THE RELIABILITY AND INTEGRITY OF THE ENTIRE STATISTICAL REPORTING
PROGRAM.

BECAUSE ACS EDITS PROVIDE 100
RELIABILITY FOR ENTRY SUMMARIES
FILED WITHOUT STATISTICAL COPIES, AS WELL AS ENSURE THAT TRADE
DATA IS COMPLETE AND ACCURATE, THE FOLLOWING ACTION WILL BE
IMPLEMENTED:

ACTION:

EFFECTIVE JUNE 14, 1993, FILERS WHO OBTAIN RELEASE OF CARGO
THROUGH ABI MUST ALSO TRANSMIT THE ENTRY SUMMARIES THROUGH ABI.
IT WILL NO LONGER BE PERMISSIBLE TO OBTAIN ABI RELEASE AND FILE
ENTRY SUMMARIES OFF-LINE.
THIS REQUIREMENT WILL ONLY APPLY TO FORMAL ENTRIES: 1) FOR
COMMERCIAL SHIPMENTS VALUED AT $1250 OR MORE; 2) FOR ARTICLES
VALUED AT $250 OR MORE THAT ARE CLASSIFIED IN SECTIONS VII, VIII,
XI AND XII; CHAPTER 94 AND CHAPTER 99, HTSUS; 3) FOR HTS NUMBERS
THAT REQUIRE SUBMISSION OF A FORMAL ENTRY - REFER TO INSTRUCTION
NUMBER 3056051, DATED FEBRUARY 25, 1993, UPDATE TO HARMONIZED
FACT SHEET #30.

EXCEPTION PROCEDURES WILL BE DEVELOPED PRIOR TO THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS REQUIREMENT.

PLEASE NOTE THAT FOR NON-ABI ENTRY SUMMARIES, ONLY THE ENTRY TYPE
CODE IS TO BE INDICATED IN BLOCK 2 OF THE CF 7501. NO OTHER
INDICATOR IS TO BE SHOWN. PLEASE REFER TO CUSTOMS DIRECTIVE
3550-061, DATED SEPTEMBER 18, 1992, INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREPARATION
OF CF 7501, FOR GUIDANCE ON HOW TO PROPERLY COMPLETE THE CF 7501.

PLEASE CONTACT YOUR ABI CLIENT REPRESENTATIVES SHOULD YOU HAVE
QUESTIONS REGARDING SYSTEMS PROBLEMS. QUESTIONS CONCERNING
OPERATIONAL ISSUES MAY BE REFERRED TO THE COLLECTIONS/STATISTICS
BRANCH, OFFICE OF TRADE OPERATIONS, AT (202) 927-0801 OR
(202) 927-0418.

PHILIP METZGER