CSMS Message: 96-000887

SINCE MAY, 1996 CUSTOMS HAS BEEN TESTING ELECTRONIC PROTEST FILING IN
THE PORTS OF BALTIMORE, BUFFALO, CHICAGO, LAREDO, LOS ANGELES, LAX, NEW
YORK, AND PHILADELPHIA. SEVENTEEN IMPORTERS, BROKERS, ATTORNEYS AND
SURETY COMPANIES PARTICIPATING IN THE TEST CAN FILE, AMEND AND QUERY THE
STATUS OF 514 PROTESTS, 520 PETITIONS AND NAFTA INTERVENTIONS ELECTRONIC-
ALLY VIA ABI. FILING CAN BE DONE TWENTY-FOUR HOURS A DAY; PROTESTS FILED
ON THE 90TH DAY ARE CONSIDERED TIMELY IF FILED BY MIDNIGHT EASTERN TIME.
MERCHANDISE SAMPLES AND HARDCOPY MATERIALS SUCH AS BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, BLUE-
PRINTS, CHEMICAL OR ELECTRONIC SPECIFICATIONS CAN BE SUBMITTED IN SUPPORT
OF ANY PROTEST FILED ELECTRONICALLY. THE FILER RECEIVES ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
OF RECEIPT OF THE SAMPLE OR HARDCOPY ELECTRONICALLY FROM CUSTOMS. CUSTOMS
NOTIFIES THE FILER OF OTHER SIGNIFICANT EVENTS IN THE PROCESSSING OF THE
PROTEST, CULMINATING IN FINAL DECISION. FOR EXAMPLE, IF THE PROTEST IS
REFERRED TO THE OFFICE OF REGULATIONS AND RULINGS (ORR) FOR FURTHER REVIEW
THE ABI FILER IS AUTOMATICALLY NOTIFIED OF THE ORR CASE NUMBER AND THE
IDENTITY OF THE ORR BRANCH ASSIGNED REVIEW OF THE PROTEST. THIS KEEPS THE
FILER APPRISED OF THE STATUS OF HIS PROTEST AND AVOIDS UNNECESSARY PHONE
CALLS TO THE PROTEST PROCESSING PORT OR TO HEADQUARTERS.
CURRENTLY 51 PROTESTS AND 4 PETITIONS COVERING 202 ENTRIES HAVE BEEN
FILED ELECTRONCIALLY. NINE HAVE ALREADY BEEN DECIDED.
IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT AN EXTENSION OF THE TEST PERIOD FOR THIS
SYSTEM, CONTINUING WITH THE PRESENT SEVENTEEN PARTICIPANTS, WILL APPEAR
IN A FORTHCOMING EDITION OF THE FEDERAL REGISTER.
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SUBMITTED BY STEVE LINNEMANN