2016-29719: Regulatory Implementation of the Centers of Excellence and Expertise

Summary

In 2012, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) developed a test to incrementally transition the operational trade functions that traditionally reside with port directors to the Centers of Excellence and Expertise (Centers). The purpose of the test was to broaden the ability of the Centers to make decisions by waiving certain identified regulations to the extent necessary to provide the Center directors, who manage the Centers, with the authority to make the decisions normally reserved for the port directors. At this time, CBP is prepared to end the test and establish the Centers as a permanent organizational component of the agency and to transition certain additional trade functions to the Centers. This rule amends the CBP regulations on an interim basis to implement this organizational change by: Defining the Centers and the Center directors; amending the definition for port directors to distinguish their functions from those of the Center directors; identifying the Center management offices; explaining the process by which importers will be assigned to Centers; providing the importer with an appeals process for its Center assignment; identifying the regulatory functions that will be transitioned from the port directors to the Center directors and those that will be jointly carried out by the port directors and the Center directors; and providing clarification in applicable regulations that payments and documents may continue to be submitted at the ports of entry or electronically.

The agency’s own summary, as published.

What this changes

Amends 30 parts of the Code of Federal Regulations — the standing rules this notice rewrites.

• 19 CFR 4 Vessels in Foreign and Domestic Trades
• 19 CFR 7 Customs Relations with Insular Possessions and Guantanamo Bay Naval Station
• 19 CFR 10 Articles Conditionally Free, Subject to a Reduced Rate, Etc.
• 19 CFR 11 Packing and Stamping; Marking
• 19 CFR 12 Special Classes of Merchandise
• 19 CFR 24 Customs Financial and Accounting Procedure
• 19 CFR 54 Certain Importations Temporarily Free of Duty
• 19 CFR 101 General Provisions
• 19 CFR 102 Rules of Origin
• 19 CFR 103 Availability of Information
• 19 CFR 113 CBP Bonds
• 19 CFR 132 Quotas
• 19 CFR 133 Trademarks, Trade Names, and Copyrights
• 19 CFR 134 Country of Origin Marking
• 19 CFR 141 Entry of Merchandise
• 19 CFR 142 Entry Process
• 19 CFR 143 Special Entry Procedures
• 19 CFR 144 Warehouse and Rewarehouse Entries and Withdrawals
• 19 CFR 145 Mail Importations
• 19 CFR 146 Foreign Trade Zones
• 19 CFR 147 Trade Fairs
• 19 CFR 151 Examination, Sampling, and Testing of Merchandise
• 19 CFR 152 Classification and Appraisement of Merchandise
• 19 CFR 158 Relief from Duties on Merchandise Lost, Damaged, Abandoned, or Exported
• 19 CFR 159 Liquidation of Duties
• 19 CFR 161 General Enforcement Provisions
• 19 CFR 173 Administrative Review in General
• 19 CFR 174 Protests
• 19 CFR 176 Proceedings in the Court of International Trade
• 19 CFR 181 North American Free Trade Agreement