[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 145 (Thursday, July 28, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49685-49686]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-17915]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
U. S. Customs and Border Protection
Notice Announcing the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE)
Protest Module as the Sole CBP-Authorized Method for Filing Electronic
Protests
AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland
Security.
ACTION: General notice.
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SUMMARY: This document announces that the Automated Commercial
Environment (ACE) Protest Module will be the sole method authorized by
the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for filing
electronic protests. This document also announces that CBP will no
longer accept protests filed through the Automated Broker Interface
(ABI) to the Automated Commercial System (ACS). Upon the effective date
of this notice, ACE will replace ACS as the electronic data interchange
system authorized for protest filing.
DATES: Effective August 29, 2016, the ACE Protest Module will be the
sole CBP-authorized method for filing electronic protests.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical questions related to the
ACE Protest Module, or to request an ACE Protest Account in the ACE
Portal, contact your assigned client representative. Interested parties
without an assigned client representative should direct their questions
to Steven Zaccaro at [email protected] with the subject
heading ``ACE Protest Module.''
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Statutory Authority
Section 514 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (19 U.S.C. 1514),
provides that certain decisions made by CBP can be protested within 180
days of the date of liquidation, i.e., the date on which CBP's decision
becomes final. Section 645 of Subtitle B of Title VI of the North
American Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (Pub. L. 103-182, 107
Stat. 2057, December 8, 1993), commonly known as the Customs
Modernization Act, or Mod Act, amended section 514(c)(1) of the Tariff
Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1514(c)(1)) to permit the transmission of such
protests to CBP electronically pursuant to an electronic data
interchange system.
Current Regulations
The CBP regulations governing protests are found in part 174 of
Title 19 of the Code of Federal Regulations (19 CFR part 174).
On January 14, 2011, CBP published a Final Rule in the Federal
Register (76 FR 2573) making technical corrections to part 174 and
related provisions in Title 19 of the Code of Federal Regulations. The
rule amended section 174.12(b) to conform to section 514(c)(1) of the
Tariff Act of 1930, allowing a protest to be transmitted
electronically, using the electronic data interchange system authorized
by CBP for that purpose.
Currently, CBP accepts electronic protests submitted through the
Automated Broker Interface (ABI) to the Automated Commercial System
(ACS), the electronic data interchange system currently authorized by
CBP for this purpose.
Transition From ACS to ACE
In an effort to modernize the business processes essential to
securing U.S. borders, facilitating the flow of legitimate shipments,
and targeting illicit goods pursuant to the Mod Act and the Security
and Accountability for Every (SAFE) Port Act of 2006 (Pub. L. 109-347,
120 Stat. 1884), CBP developed the Automated Commercial Environment
(ACE) to eventually replace ACS. Over the last several years, CBP has
tested ACE and provided significant public outreach to ensure that the
trade community is fully aware of the transition from ACS to ACE. CBP
is now transitioning electronic protest filing from ACS to ACE. Upon
the effective date of this notice, ACE will replace ACS as the
electronic data interchange system authorized for protest filing.
ACE Protest Module as the Sole CBP-Authorized Method for the Filing of
Electronic Protests
This notice announces that the ACE Protest Module will be the sole
CBP-authorized method for filing electronic protests. Filers who intend
to submit a protest electronically must use the ACE Protest Module. The
ACE Protest Module is an internet-based processing module which allows
a filer to submit an electronic protest to ACE for processing by CBP.
Protest filings will no longer be accepted in ACS. This transition has
no effect on filers who intend to submit their protest in paper form,
as specified in 19 CFR part 174.
[[Page 49686]]
Dated: July 22, 2016.
R. Gil Kerlikowske,
Commissioner, U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
[FR Doc. 2016-17915 Filed 7-27-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111-14-P