[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 228 (Tuesday, November 26, 2002)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 70706]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-29931]


 ========================================================================
 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
 the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
 notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
 the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
 
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 

  Federal Register / Vol. 67, No. 228 / Tuesday, November 26, 2002 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 70706]]



DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Customs Service

19 CFR Chapter I


Public Meetings: Development of Regulations Regarding Mandatory 
Advanced Electronic Cargo Information

AGENCY: Customs Service, Department of the Treasury.

ACTION: Notice of meetings.

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SUMMARY: This document announces that Customs will hold a series of 
public meetings in accordance with section 343(a) of the Trade Act of 
2002 to assist in the development of proposed regulations to provide 
for the mandatory collection by Customs of electronic cargo information 
prior to importation into or exportation from the United States. 
Separate meetings will be held to address specific importation/
exportation issues pertaining to air, sea, truck and rail cargo. The 
meetings are open to interested members of the trade community.

DATES: The meetings to discuss mandatory advanced collection of 
electronic information pertaining to cargo are scheduled for the 
following dates:
    [sbull] Air cargo: January 14, 2003;
    [sbull] Truck cargo: January 16, 2003;
    [sbull] Rail cargo: January 21, 2003; and
    [sbull] Sea cargo: January 23, 2003.

ADDRESSES: All meetings will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in room 
B1.5-10 of the Ronald Reagan Building located at 1300 Pennsylvania 
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC. Interested parties must provide Customs 
with notice of intent to attend a particular meeting at least five 
business days prior to the scheduled date for that meeting. Notice may 
be provided to Robyn Day at (202) 927-1440 or via e-mail at 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robyn Day, U.S. Customs Service, 
Office of Trade Relations, at (202) 927-1440 or via e-mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    Section 343(a) of the Trade Act of 2002 (the Act), Public Law 107-
210, was signed into law on August 6, 2002. Section 343(a) directs the 
Secretary of the Treasury to promulgate regulations, within one year of 
enactment of the Act, to provide for the mandatory collection by 
Customs of electronic cargo information prior to importation into or 
exportation from the United States. In the course of developing such 
regulations, section 343(a) directs the Secretary to solicit comments 
from and consult with a broad range of parties likely to be affected by 
the regulations, including importers, exporters, carriers, customs 
brokers, and freight forwarders.
    Section 343(a) requires that the electronic cargo information 
required under the regulations be reasonably necessary to ensure 
aviation, maritime and surface transportation safety and security 
pursuant to those laws enforced and administered by Customs. The 
requirements to provide particular information generally is to be 
imposed on the party (e.g. exporter, importer, carrier, broker) most 
likely to have direct knowledge of the cargo information. Additionally, 
the statute requires the Secretary to take specific factors into 
consideration in the development and promulgation of the regulations, 
including:

    [sbull] The existence of competitive relationships among parties 
upon which the information collection requirements will be imposed;
    [sbull] Differences among cargo carriers that arise from varying 
modes of transportation, different commercial practices and operational 
characteristics, and the technological capacity to collect and transmit 
information;
    [sbull] The need for interim requirements to reflect the technology 
that is available at the time of promulgation of the regulations for 
purposes of transmitting/receiving/analyzing electronic information; 
and
    [sbull] The need for transition periods and differences in 
transition times among modes of transportation.

    This notice announces that Customs will hold a series of public 
meetings to assist in the development of proposed regulations 
pertaining to the mandatory advanced collection of electronic cargo 
information, with particular emphasis on the specific issues addressed 
above. Separate meetings will be held to address specific importation/
exportation issues pertaining to air, sea, truck and rail cargo. The 
meetings are open to interested members of the trade community, however 
space is limited. The meetings are scheduled for the following dates:

    [sbull] Air cargo: January 14, 2003;
    [sbull] Truck cargo: January 16, 2003;
    [sbull] Rail cargo: January 21, 2003; and
    [sbull] Sea cargo: January 23, 2003.

    All meetings will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in room B1.5-10 of 
the Ronald Reagan Building located at 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC. Interested parties must provide Customs with notice of 
their intent to attend a particular meeting at least five business days 
prior to the scheduled date for that meeting. Notice may be provided to 
Robyn Day at (202) 927-1440 or via e-mail at 
[email protected]. It is suggested that interested 
parties provide advance notice of intent to attend a particular 
meeting, as space is limited and attendance may be restricted 
accordingly.
    It is noted that proposed legislation is currently pending (S. 
1214, the Maritime Transportation Security Act) which may amend section 
343 of the Trade Act of 2002. Any updates pertaining to either the 
substance or logistics of the scheduled meetings will be available on 
the Customs Internet Web site at http://www.customs.treas.gov/rlf.

    Dated: November 20, 2002.
Michael Schmitz,
Assistant Commissioner, Office of Regulations and Rulings.
[FR Doc. 02-29931 Filed 11-25-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4820-02-P