CBP ready for ACE consolidated express filing

   U.S. Customs and Border Protection said its deployment of consolidated express filing capabilities in the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) will be ready July 27.
   The agency originally had scheduled the launch of the capability for June 15 but delayed it for more than a month. 
   The consolidated express filings will allow for the electronic consolidation of informal entry summaries to be processed in the express consignment environment. 
   Currently these transactions are filed using a manual, paper-based process, which CBP called “burdensome” for both the agency and industry. 
   CBP said the change will allow automated consolidated express submissions to be filed as a type 11 informal entry summary. Users will be able to make their payments to the agency via daily statements. Manifest paperwork only will be required if requested by the agency and would need to be submitted via a document imaging system.
   Within this process change, the agency said the merchandise processing fee will continue to be collected on a quarterly basis.
   The express carrier industry has worked closely with CBP to develop functionality for the consolidated express filings in ACE.
   “The three members of the Express Association of America (DHL, FedEx, UPS) truly welcome the deployment of the new consolidated express filing application,” said Michael Mullen, the association’s executive director. “The functionality will simplify and automate what was a cumbersome manual process for paying duties on informal shipments and therefore represents a potential savings of time and resources.
   “Like any new application, there will be bugs to work out, and CBP is demonstrating its typical, great flexibility and willingness to work with the trade to ensure any issues are resolved quickly,” he added.
  CBP said it will host support calls related to the consolidated express filings from 2 to 3 p.m. EST, July 25-26 and July 29-31 to answer any questions or concerns from the trade regarding the consolidated express filings. The dial-in phone number will be (877) 336-1828, code: 6124214.
   Also on July 27, CBP will deploy so-called “Mass Processing, Phase 1: Enhancements to Mass Liquidation.”
   “This deployment does not impact the trade community,” the agency said.