[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 74 (Thursday, April 17, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18994-18995]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-9405]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Bureau of Customs and Border Protection


Paperless Drawback Prototype: Delay of Commencement of Test and 
Reopening of Application Period

AGENCY: Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security; Treasury.

ACTION: General notice.

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SUMMARY: In a document published in the Federal Register on September 
27,

[[Page 18995]]

2002, Customs announced its plan to conduct a prototype test to 
determine the feasibility of filing paperless drawback claims. The 
document stated that drawback claimants who wished to participate in 
the test must submit applications to Customs by October 28, 2002. In an 
effort to encourage greater participation in the prototype, Customs in 
this document is announcing a reopening of the period for drawback 
claimants to submit applications to participate in the Paperless 
Drawback Prototype and sets a new timeframe for commencement of the 
test.

DATES: Drawback claimants who wish to participate in the Paperless 
Drawback Prototype must submit applications to Customs no later than 
May 19, 2003. The Paperless Drawback Prototype will commence no earlier 
than May 19, 2003, and will run for approximately one year with a final 
evaluation taking place at the end of the first 12-months of the 
prototype.

ADDRESS: Written comments regarding this notice, and prototype 
applications, should be addressed to the Bureau of Customs and Border 
Protection, Entry and Drawback Management Branch, 1300 Pennsylvania 
Avenue, NW., Room 5.2-33, Washington, DC 20229.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions pertaining to any aspect of 
this prototype should be directed to Sherri Lee Hoffman, Bureau of 
Customs and Border Protection, Entry and Drawback Management Branch, at 
(202) 927-0300 or via email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Title VI of the North American Free Trade Agreement Implementation 
Act, Pub. L. 103-182, 107 Stat. 2057 (December 8, 1993), contains 
provisions pertaining to Customs Modernization (107 Stat. 2170). 
Subpart B of title VI of the Act concerns the National Customs 
Automation Program (NCAP), an electronic system for the processing of 
commercial imports. Within subpart B, section 631 of the Act added 
section 411 to the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1411-1414), which 
defines the NCAP, provides for the establishment of and participation 
in the NCAP, and includes a list of existing and planned components. 
Section 411(a)(2)(F) identifies the electronic (i.e., paperless) filing 
of drawback claims, records or entries as a planned NCAP component.
    Section 101.9(b) of the Customs Regulations (19 CFR 101.9(b)) 
provides for the testing of NCAP planned components. The Paperless 
Drawback prototype is being tested in accordance with this provision.
    A notice describing the Paperless Drawback Prototype, and setting 
forth the prototype's terms and conditions, was published in the 
Federal Register (67 FR 61197) on September 27, 2002. That document 
stated that the prototype was to commence no earlier than August 1, 
2002, and the deadline by which drawback claimants were required to 
submit applications to Customs to participate in the prototype was 
October 28, 2002. In an effort to encourage greater participation in 
the prototype, Customs is reopening the application period until 30 
days from the date of publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register. The Paperless Drawback Prototype will commence no earlier 
than 30 days from the application deadline date.
    All of the remaining Paperless Drawback Prototype terms and 
conditions set forth in the September 27, 2002, Federal Register notice 
remain in effect.

    Dated: April 11, 2003.
William S. Heffelfinger III,
Acting Assistant Commissioner, Office of Field Operations.
[FR Doc. 03-9405 Filed 4-16-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4820-02-P