[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 49 (Monday, March 13, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13415-13416]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-6114]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Customs Service


Suspension of Operations and Development of the General Test 
Regarding the International Trade Prototype

AGENCY: U.S. Customs Service, Department of the Treasury.

ACTION: General notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This notice announces that Customs is suspending operations 
and development of the general test regarding the International Trade 
Prototype (ITP) due to lack of funding. The ITP was most recently 
announced in the Federal Register on July 27, 1999. Upon prototype 
suspension, ITP participants must cease entering goods and transmitting 
data under ITP procedures. This notice identifies instructions to 
participants on procedures for processing outstanding prototype 
entries.

DATES: Suspension of the ITP will be effective as of April 12, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Comments regarding the suspension of 
this prototype should be directed to Daniel Buchanan, U.S. Customs 
Service at (617) 565-6236, or Pamela McGuyer, U.S. Customs Service at 
(202) 927-0279.

[[Page 13416]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The ITP concept has been under consideration by both the U.S. 
Customs Service (USCS) and Her Majesty's Custom and Excise (HMCE) since 
1996. The nucleus of this program is an extension of ideas developed in 
partnership with the trade community by various members of the Trans-
Atlantic Team, primarily comprised of USCS and HMCE officers. The ITP 
concept also addressed issues raised by international traders, the 
World Customs Organization (WCO), the United Nations Conference on 
Trade and Development (UNCTAD), G-7 and other international 
organizations.
    The concept was intended to simplify and standardize Customs 
processes and procedures in order to facilitate trade while maintaining 
effective and efficient control.
    Additional information on the ITP has been published in the Federal 
Register (63 FR 68353 on December 31, 1997; 63 FR 30288 on June 3, 
1998); and (64 FR 40643 on July 27, 1999).
    This notice serves to inform the public that the ITP test announced 
in the aforementioned Notices is suspended due to lack of funding.

Procedures

    The ITP system involves initiation of import clearance processing 
on the basis of an Inter-Customs Advice (ICA) message sent from the 
export customs authority to the import customs authority.
    For all outstanding ITP U.S. import shipments for which an ICA 
message from HMCE has been received prior to the date of publication of 
this Notice, USCS will complete processing under ITP procedures. All 
processing for such shipments must be completed within 30 days 
following the date of publication of this Notice.
    On or after the date of publication of this Notice, USCS will no 
longer process ICA messages for either U.S. exports or U.S. imports. 
Participants must revert to non-ITP processing for all cargo shipments.

    Dated: March 8, 2000.
Robert J. McNamara,
Acting Assistant Commissioner, Office of Field Operations.
[FR Doc. 00-6114 Filed 3-10-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4820-02-P