Expedition: Enforcement Overdrive…?
Interesting article in this week’s Journal of Commerce*. We’re all well aware that CBP is back to their “traditional role of duty collector and trade facilitator” enforcing stuff that was put previously on the back-burner to protecting borders and supply chains. However, the beef of this particular article really boils down to the fact there is just – flat-out - more to enforce. Because CBP is in “enforcement overdrive” service providers are finding themselves doing more than their typical customs brokerage functions for U.S. importers. Now it seems to be “all about fines, penalties and forfeitures” - or so says such trade pundits as Pete Mento and Peter Quinter.
This is interesting to think about because in addition to there being more to enforce today, there is the element of speed to factor in. At last week’s AAEI conference, Commissioner Bersin talked about wanting to quickly strike up good relations with the trade. Recently he’s also talked about the “grand bargain” with the trade to expedite entries & clearances in exchange for more detailed information about shipments and trading partners. Couple that with the recent press on his committment to accelerate the processing of broker licenses and to “quickly find solutions to long-festering problems affecting the trade community” (quote per American Shipper**). This is a lot of talk about going fast. Fast. Nice. I like fast…sometimes.
Mento made an interesting comment in the JOC article. He said that he is “shocked at what a poor marketer Customs is” referring to the fact that CBP doesn’t go out and actively communicate their positives and how they can help companies further the compliance-as-competitive-advantage mantra we’ve all assumed. I agree with this — mostly. I will hand it to CBP though. I think they are doing a good job of TRYING to get the word out. The number of webinars, the email communique and their website have become great assets to me and my team! I sit in on many of the webinars - most recently the June 2nd webinar on the new CPSC detention notices (which was just posted to their website today for anyone that missed it) and Tuesday’s “Avoiding CBP Penalties” which was hosted in conjunction with the JOC.
Speed. Overdrive. Giving CBP credit, I think they are finding their voice but, like me right now, they are just singing loudly and all over the place…in their car. Advice to fellow importers — seatbelts.
* JOC article – www.joc.com and find article named “Rules of Engagement.” **American Shipper – www.americanshipper.com and find article named “Bersin to Expedite Customs Broker Licenses” from 5/18/2010
