ATS: Customs Advanced Targeting System
The U.S. Customs Advanced Targeting System (ATS) allows for the screening of high-risk cargo whileexpediting the movement of legitimate freight.
C-TPAT: Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism
A voluntary initiative, joint government-business partnership to enhance supply chain and border security. Read more
C-TPAT Supply Chain Security Specialist: The principal advisor and primary point of contact assigned by the CBP for certified members in the C-TPAT program. They will provide guidance and assistance to members in developing and implementing a C-TPAT self policing tool, will perform the validation, periodic self-assessments, and internal anti-terrorism/anti-smuggling training and awareness programs.
Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA): In December 2003, the Canadian Government announced the creation of the CBSA, which is part of the Department of Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness. The Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (CCRA), Citizenship & Immigration Canada (CIC), and the Canadian Food Inspecton Agency (CFIA) have been consolidated into this new agency.
CBP: U.S. Customs & Border Protection
Part of the Border and Transportation Security Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security. What makes up CBP? Customs, Immigration and Naturalization, Agriculture Plant Health and Border Patrol effective March 1, 2003. Read more at Customs.gov
CSA: Customs Self Assessment
Part of the Canada Customs Revenue Agency (CCRA) Blueprint introduced by Canada Customs to streamline processes for low-risk shipments moving into Canada. Read more
COAC: Departmental Advisory on Commercial Operations of the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection. This committee advises the Secretaries of the Department of the Treasury and the Department of Homeland Security on the Commercial Operations of Customs and Border Protection and related Department of Homeland Security related functions. The committee shall consist of 20 members and the Co-Chairs. The members shall be selected by the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of Homeland Security jointly from Representatives of the trade or transportation community serviced by CBP and related DHS and Treasury functions, the general public or others who are directly affected by customs commercial operations.
Color Coded Alert Status:
Announced by the Department of Homeland Security on March 2002. The color-coded Homeland Security Advisory System, rates the threat level of a terrorist attack on a five-level color-coded scale. Green for a "low" threat, blue for "guarded," yellow for "elevated," orange for "high," and red for "severe."
CSI: Container Security Initiative
The program began January 2002 to help protect the United States and a large portion of the global trading system from terrorist who might use ocean bound containerized movement of goods to hide weapons of mass destruction and related materials without disrupting legitimate flow of cargo. There are 58 CSI ports that are operational. Requires bilateral agreements to be created with other governments to target and pre-screen high-risk containers in overseas seaports before they are shipped to the United States. Customs inspectors (pre-screeners) will also be stationed in CSI ports, to work with their overseas counterparts.
Customs Anti-Terrorism Technologies
Focus on security and protecting our nations borders, Customs has developed and deployed technology designed to combat the terrorist threat.
DHS: Department of Homeland Security
President Bush signed into Legislation Monday, November 25, 2002. The Homeland Security Act of 2002 shall take effect thirty days after the date of enactment or, if enacted within thirty days before January 1, 2003, on January 1, 2003. The government reorganized 22 agencies under 1 department. Customs and border Protection is one of the 22 agencies.
FAST: United States Canada and Mexico Free and Secure Trade is a clearance process for low-risk shipments.
FAST is a harmonized clearance process for shipments of known compliant importers. FAST is for shipments destined to the United States (from Canada or Mexico) using highway mode of transport. For trucks from Mexico to use FAST lane processing, the Mexican manufacturer must be C-TPAT approved, the U.S. importer (of record) must be C-TPAT approved, the highway carrier must be FAST/C-TPAT certified, and the commercial driver must possess a valid FAST Commercial License The cargo release methods for FAST shipments are the National Customs Automated Prototype (NCAP) or the Pre-Arrival Processing System (PAPS).
ICE: Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement
The investigative and enforcement duties of U.S. Customs, Immigration and Naturalization, and the Federal Protective Service. Focuses entirely on criminal investigations and enforcement of immigration and customs laws as they relate to foreign nationals and the entry of goods.
ISA: Importer Self Assessment
The Importer Self-Assessment Program (ISA) is a voluntary partnership between the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and importers who have made an investment in trade compliance. The program allows those importers to assume the responsibilities of self-assessment with minimal CBP intrusion.
MOU: Memorandum Of Understanding
NCAP: National Customs Automation Program is an automated electronic system for processing U.S. commercial importations. The NCAP test for automated truck manifest (e-Manifest) will be part of the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) when mandated.
NVOCC: Non Vessel Common Carrier
A common carrier that does not operate the vessels by which the ocean transportation is provided, and is a shipper in its relationship with an ocean common carrier.
Operation Liberty Shield:
A comprehensive national plan to protect the Homeland. It will increase security at our borders, strengthen transportation sector protections, enhance security at our critical infrastructure, increase public health preparedness, and make sure all federal response assets can be deployed quickly.
OSA: Operation Safe Commerce
This program is to identify and fund business driven initiatives designed to enhance security for the movement of cargo through the supply chain. Read more
PAPS: Pre-Arrival Processing System
A U.S. Customs Automated Commercial System (ACS) border cargo release mechanism that utilizes barcode technology to expedite the release of commercial shipments while processing each shipment through Border Cargo Selectivity (BCS) and the Automated Targeting System (ATS).
PIP: Partners in Protection
A voluntary initiative, joint government-business partnership to enhance border security, combat organized crime and terrorism, increase awareness of customs compliance issues, and to help detect and prevent contraband smuggling. Read more
STEP: Secure Trade - Expedited Processing
The STEP Lane is a pilot program from Juarez to El Paso that provides expedited processing of secure shipments.
Trade Act of 2002: Section 343(a) of the Trade Act of 2002, as amended by Section 108 of the Maritime Port Security Act of 2002. The law requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to promulgate regulations providing for electronic transmission to the Customs Service of information pertaining to cargo destined to and from the United States, prior to arrival or departure of such cargo by October 1, 2003. Not later than 15 days prior to promulgation of regulations the Secretary will transmit to the Congress a report setting forth the proposed regulations and an analysis of the public comments received on the regulations when they were proposed.
USCS: United States Customs Service
On March 1, 2003, the border inspection functions of the U.S. Customs Service, the Immigration and Naturalization Service, and the Agriculture and Plant Health Inspection Service, and the U.S. Border Patrol, were transferred to the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which is part of the Border and Transportation Security Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security. Read more at Customs.gov
US VISIT:The United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology Program, is an entry/exit control system that will be implemented at the 50 largest land border ports of entry by December 31, 2004. The program is to be implemented at all remaining ports of entry by December 31, 2005.
24 Hour Advance Manifest Rule: U.S. Customs issued a final rule effective December 2, 2002 which amends the Customs Regulations (19 CFR Parts 4, 113, and 178) for cargo imported via ocean transport to require carriers to present certain cargo manifest information electronically 24 hours prior to ocean vessel lading at the foreign port overseas. For C-TPAT importers to receive benefits the customs entry must be filed with CBP at a minimum of 24 hours prior to the cargo arriving into the U.S..
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