CUSTOMS ACT MAY REQUIRE SMALL FIRMS TO RELY ON BROKERS

SMALL-AND-MEDIUM SIZED COMPANIES WITHOUT EXPENSIVE ELECTRONIC FILING CAPABILITIES WILL HAVE TO RELY MORE HEAVILY ON THEIR CUSTOMS BROKERS AND FREIGHT FORWARDERS TO FILE IMPORT INFORMATION UNDER THE U.S. CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT’S REMOTE LOCATION FILING SYSTEM, SAID MICHAEL BUCKLEY, ASSISTANT VICE-PRESIDENT OF PANALPINA INC., AN ATLANTA-BASED CUSTOMS BROKER AND FREIGHT FORWARDER, AT A MEETING OF THE SWISS-AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ON MARCH 7.

THE FILING SYSTEM, WHICH IS CURRENTLY BEING TESTED ON A VOLUNTEER BASIS, IS PART OF THE CUSTOMS MODERNIZATION ACT, PASSED ON DEC. 8, 1993, AS A RIDER TO NAFTA, AND IS TO GO INTO EFFECT IN 1997.

LARGER CORPORATIONS THAT ARE ABLE TO AFFORD THEIR OWN SYSTEMS AND THOSE THAT IMPORT AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT PORTS WILL BENEFIT FROM THE SYSTEM BY BEING ABLE TO CONSOLIDATE ALL OF THEIR CUSTOMS OPERATIONS INTO ONE LOCATION, SAID MR. BUCKLEY.

THE MODERNIZATION ACT WILL ALSO SHIFT THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR CORRECT CLASSIFICATION AND VALUATION OF GOODS FROM CUSTOMS TO THE IMPORTER, HE SAID, ALTHOUGH CUSTOMS WILL HELP OUT IMPORTERS WITH A “PRE-CLASSIFICATION APPROACH,” WHERE THE DEPARTMENT WILL INSPECT AND CLASSIFY THE PRODUCT BEFORE SHIPMENT ON REQUEST.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL PANALPINA AT (770) 991-9220. THE SWISS-AMERICAN CHAMBER CAN BE REACHED AT (770) 418-3225.