Bersin promises open ear to trade

Bersin promises open ear to trade

Bersin

      Alan Bersin, the White House's newly appointed Customs and Border Protection commissioner, said during his administration he will keep an open ear for input from all major trade groups.
      The Commercial Operations Advisory Committee (COAC), a designated panel of federal government-appointed trade and transportation professionals, has long been the lead industry channel for providing advice to CBP on trade enforcement, border security, trade facilitation and department operations.
      Bersin, who attended his first COAC meeting in Philadelphia last month, told a gathering of trade representatives in New York Monday that COAC has the potential to be 'an even better asset' to CBP.
      'There's been a sense it has not gotten the attention and possibly the respect which the members believe it merits,' Bersin said to attendees of the American Association of Exporters and Importers conference.
      On May 15, the Department of Homeland Security closed a recent round of applications for industry members to serve on COAC for a two-year term, expected to begin in early 2011. COAC has 20 members who can serve two consecutive terms.
      Bersin affirmed that CBP remains committed to COAC, but said it's not the only channel for communication with the agency.
      'COAC cannot be the only vehicle for the industry to communicate to the commissioner,' he said. 'We need a lot of consultation and no one should have an exclusive monopoly on this communication.'