[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 10 (Tuesday, January 17, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 4901]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-00837]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

U.S. Customs and Border Protection


Delayed Effective Date for Modifications of the National Customs 
Automation Program Tests Regarding Reconciliation, Post-Summary 
Corrections, and Periodic Monthly Statements

AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland 
Security.

ACTION: Delay of effective date.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces that the effective date for the 
modifications to the National Customs Automation Program (NCAP) tests 
regarding Reconciliation, Post-Summary Corrections, and Periodic 
Monthly Statements is delayed until further notice. On December 12, 
2016, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) published a notice in 
the Federal Register announcing modifications to the National Customs 
Automation Program (NCAP) test regarding reconciliation, and the 
transition of the test from the Automated Commercial System (ACS) to 
the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE). The modifications made by 
this notice were to be effective on January 14, 2017. On December 12, 
2016, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) published in the Federal 
Register a document announcing CBP's plans to modify and clarify the 
National Customs Automation Program (NCAP) test regarding Post-Summary 
Correction (PSC) claims to entry summaries that are filed in the 
Automated Commercial Environment (ACE), as well as the Periodic Monthly 
Statement (PMS) test. The notice liberalized and eliminated some 
requirements needed for the filing of PSCs; however, it also placed 
burdens on the importer in the form of a restriction and a prohibition. 
Subsequently, CBP published a notice in the Federal Register on January 
9, 2017, to remove the restriction imposed on all PSC filings to make 
payments within three business days of submitting the PSC, with the 
exception of entry type 03 filings, and to remove the prohibition of 
filing additional PSCs until additional duties, fees and taxes are 
deposited. The changes to the PSC and PMS tests were to have been 
effective January 14, 2017. This notice announces that the effective 
date for the modifications to these NCAP tests has been delayed until 
further notice.

DATES: The effective date for the modifications to the reconciliation, 
PSC, and PMS NCAP tests is delayed until further notice.

ADDRESSES: Comments concerning the reconciliation test program may be 
submitted any time during the test via email, with a subject line 
identifier reading, ``Comment on Reconciliation test'', to [email protected].
    Comments concerning the PSC and PMS test programs may be submitted 
via email to Monica Crockett at [email protected] with a subject 
line identifier reading, ``Post-Summary Corrections and Periodic 
Monthly Statements.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Reconciliation: Acenitha Kennedy, 
Entry Summary and Revenue Branch, Trade Policy and Programs, Office of 
Trade at (202) 863-6064 or [email protected].
    PSC and PMS: For policy-related questions, contact Randy Mitchell, 
Director, Commercial Operations, Trade Policy and Programs, Office of 
Trade, at [email protected]. For technical questions related 
to ABI transmissions, contact your assigned client representative. 
Interested parties without an assigned client representative should 
direct their questions to the Client Representative Branch at (703) 
650-3500.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

I. Reconciliation Test

    On December 12, 2016, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) 
published a notice entitled ``Modification of the National Customs 
Automation Program Test Regarding Reconciliation and Transition of the 
Test from the Automated Commercial System to the Automated Commercial 
Environment'' in the Federal Register (81 FR 89486), with an effective 
date of January 14, 2017. This notice announced modifications to the 
National Customs Automation Program (NCAP) test regarding 
reconciliation, and the transition of the test from the Automated 
Commercial System (ACS) to the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE). 
The modifications eliminated several requirements for participation in 
the test, imposed new data requirements, and established the 
requirement that reconciliation entries be filed in ACE regardless of 
whether the underlying entry was filed in ACS or ACE.
    CBP has assessed stakeholder readiness for the mandatory transition 
of post-release capabilities in ACE, including the modifications to the 
reconciliation test and the transition of reconciliation filings from 
ACS to ACE. This notice announces that the effective date for the 
modifications to the reconciliation test, and for mandatory filing of 
reconciliation entries in ACE has been delayed until further notice.

II. Post-Summary Correction and Periodic Monthly Statement Tests

    On December 12, 2016, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) 
published a notice in the Federal Register (81 FR 89482) announcing 
plans to modify and clarify, effective January 14, 2017, the National 
Customs Automation Program (NCAP) test regarding Post-Summary 
Correction (PSC) claims, and the Periodic Monthly Statement (PMS) test. 
The modifications made by the notice eliminated or liberalized certain 
requirements for the filing of a PSC, making it easier for importers to 
file a PSC for additional entry types, and allowed filers additional 
time to make a deposit for duties, fees and taxes owed. With regard to 
the PMS test program, the notice announced the time at which CBP 
considers a PMS as paid when filers use the Automated Clearing House 
(ACH) debit process.
    Subsequently, CBP decided not to implement two of the changes 
announced in the December 12, 2016 notice. In a notice published in the 
Federal Register (82 FR 2385) on January 9, 2017, CBP removed the 
requirement that additional duties, fees and taxes be submitted within 
three business days of filing a PSC, and limited the restriction of 
submitting payment to PSC filings declaring an increase of liability 
for antidumping/countervailing duties and associated fees and taxes. 
The notice also removed the prohibition of filing additional PSCs until 
the duties, fees and taxes are deposited. Like the changes made in the 
December 12, 2016 notice, these changes were to become effective on 
January 14, 2017. This notice announces that the effective date for the 
modifications to the PSC and PMS tests has been delayed until further 
notice.

    Dated: January 11, 2017.
Brenda B. Smith,
Executive Assistant Commissioner, Office of Trade.
[FR Doc. 2017-00837 Filed 1-13-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9111-14-P