[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 99 (Tuesday, May 25, 2021)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 27973-27974]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-10998]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

19 CFR Parts 4, 122, 123, 145 and 149

[Docket No. USCBP-2021-0009; CBP Dec. 21-04]
RIN 1651-AB33


Mandatory Advance Electronic Information for International Mail 
Shipments; Re-Opening of Comment Period

AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, DHS.

ACTION: Interim final rule; reopening of comment period.

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SUMMARY: On March 15, 2021, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) 
published in the Federal Register an Interim Final Rule (IFR), which 
amends the CBP regulations to provide for mandatory advance electronic 
data (AED) for international mail shipments. Although the comment 
period for this IFR closed on May 14, 2021, CBP has decided to reopen 
the comment period for an additional 30 days.

DATES: Effective date: The interim final rule published on March 15, 
2021 (86 FR 14245), was effective March 15, 2021.
    Comment date: The comment period for the interim final rulemaking 
published on is reopened for an additional 30 days. Comments must be 
received on or before June 24, 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For policy questions related to 
mandatory AED for international mail shipments, contact Quintin Clarke, 
Cargo and Conveyance Security, Office of Field Operations, U.S. Customs 
& Border Protection, by telephone at (202) 344-2524, or email at 
[email protected].

ADDRESSES: Please submit any comments, identified by docket number 
[Docket No. USCBP-2021-0009; CBP Dec. 21-04] by the following method:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments. Due to COVID-19-
related restrictions, CBP has temporarily suspended its ability to 
receive public comments by mail.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency 
name, docket

[[Page 27974]]

number for this rulemaking and must reference docket number [Docket No. 
USCBP-2021-0009; CBP Dec. 21-04]. All comments received will be posted 
without change to https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal 
information provided. For detailed instructions on submitting comments 
and additional information on the rulemaking process, see the ``Public 
Participation'' heading of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of 
this document.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to https://www.regulations.gov. Due to relevant 
COVID-19-related restrictions, CBP has temporarily suspended its on-
site public inspection of submitted comments.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Public Participation

    Interested persons are invited to participate in this rulemaking by 
submitting written data, views, or arguments on the IFR. Comments that 
will provide the most assistance to CBP will reference a specific 
portion of the IFR, explain the reason for any recommended change, and 
include data, information, or authority that support such recommended 
change.

Background

    To address the threat of synthetic opioids and other dangerous 
items entering the United States through international mail shipments 
and to implement the requirements of the Synthetics Trafficking and 
Overdose Prevention Act of 2018 (STOP Act), Public Law 115-271, CBP 
amended its regulations on March 15, 2021 through publication in the 
Federal Register (86 FR 14245) of an IFR entitled ``Mandatory Advance 
Electronic Information for International Mail Shipments.'' These 
amended regulations require the United States Postal Service (USPS) to 
transmit certain electronic information in advance to CBP. 
Specifically, these regulations provide that, for certain international 
mail shipments, CBP must electronically receive from USPS certain 
mandatory advance electronic data (AED) within specified time frames. 
These regulations describe the new mandatory AED requirements, 
including the inbound international mail shipments for which AED is 
required, the time frame for which USPS must provide the required AED 
to CBP, and the criteria for exclusion from AED requirements. Further, 
the regulations address compliance dates and the necessary remedial 
actions required for shipments in which USPS has not complied with AED 
requirements.
    To increase public participation and in the interest of good 
governance, CBP is reopening the comment period for an additional 30 
days to allow for further comments to be submitted on the IFR. Comments 
must be received on or before June 24, 2021.

    Dated: May 20, 2021,
Joanne R. Stump,
Acting Executive Director, Regulations and Rulings, Office of Trade, 
U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
[FR Doc. 2021-10998 Filed 5-24-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111-14-P