Brokers form North American alliance

Brokers form North American alliance    The three major organizations representing customs brokers and freight forwarders in the United States, Canada and Mexico have formed the North American Customs Brokers Alliance to cooperate on trade, security and other issues affecting brokers in all three countries.
   The move formalizes a partnership that began 18 months ago when the National Customs Broker and Forwarders Association of America, the Canadian Society of Customs Brokers and the Confederacion de Asociaciones de Agentes Aduanales de la Republica Mexicana (CAAAREM) agreed to work together on meeting new border security requirements for advance transmission of commercial data for cargo risk assessment.
   The groups' goal is to streamline and harmonize procedures, including the use of standardized data sets, at each border to simultaneously reduce delays in clearing cargo while enhancing security.
   'I think it's a long time in coming,' said NCBFAA President Federico Zuniga by phone from Laredo, Texas.
   The alliance's first priority is to develop requirements for transmitting advance manifests and other information before goods arrive at the border. Canada and Mexico are in the process of developing rules modeled on U.S. regulations that require advance electronic submission of shipping information. The groups are particularly concerned about protecting small importers and brokers who may not have the resources to invest in the systems required to do advance filing of shipping documents and could suffer severe penalties for non-compliance.
   The alliance will present a common position on pre-arrival reporting to all three governments by the end of the year, according to a joint statement issued by the groups. Zuniga said representatives from each association are scheduled to meet in Toronto on Oct. 25-26 to work on a developing a common position.