CBP Says SWPM Indicator for China/Hong Kong to Temporarily Still be Required (Even Though WPM Rule Takes Effect Sept 16)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued an administrative message stating that the new regulations on wood packaging material (WPM) that take effect on September 16, 2005 makes current edits related to China and Hong Kong reporting the solid wood packing material (SWPM) indicator in the entry summary 52 record (position 3) unnecessary.
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However, CBP will not be able to reprogram ACS for China and Hong Kong and give the trade ample notice of this change by that date.
In order to provide the trade ample time to make system changes related to the China/Hong Kong SWPM indicator based on the new WPM procedures, CBP states that the following system requirements should be followed when the WPM policy takes effect on September 16, 2005:
- Line items with a country of origin of China or Hong Kong will continue to report the SWPM indicators as it is currently done.
- At a future date, ACS will make modifications to no longer require the reporting of the SWPM indicator for China and Hong Kong.
As a result, the trade should not make any system changes regarding reporting of the SWPM indicator for China and Hong Kong when the WPM regulations take effect on September 16, 2005.
ACS will provide the trade with ample notice when ACS is ready to make the above changes to no longer require SWPM data for China and Hong Kong. CBP adds that a future administrative message will be posted regarding this issue.
(The new WPM regulations affect all countries, with certain exceptions for Canada and Mexico. As a result, the SWPM regulations in effect for China and Hong Kong will be superseded by the WPM regulations. See ITT's Online Archives or 08/24/05 and 07/08/05 news, 05082405 and 05070810 for BP summaries of CBP's FAQ on WPM and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's final rule on WPM.)
CBP contact: Anne Rothrock (202) 344-2706
CBP administrative message 05-1017 (dated 08/30/05) available at http://www.brokerpower.com/cgi-bin/adminsearch/admmsg.view.pl?article=2005/2005-1017.ADM