PACIFIC COAST COUNCIL: BROKERS NEED TO BE INVOLVED IN ACE

   The Pacific Coast Council of Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders
Associations told U.S. Customs officials that brokers must not be left out
of the agency’s development plans for its future umbrella system.
   "Our goal is to assure that any Customs automation system is efficient,
complete and compatible with internationally accepted trade practices,"
said Leroy F. Berven, the Automated Commercial Environment chairman for the
PCC.
   The PCC recently issued Customs its position paper on the technical and
planning issues for ACE.
    A major area of concern for the PCC is that data processing in ACE
should be in line with those used by brokers today. "We don’t want a new
system that bankrupts the broker," Berven said.
   Other concerns involve how ACE will respond to the users and which
federal agencies will have the ability through the system to stop shipments
that threaten the health and safety of U.S. citizens. Statistical
data-collecting agencies should receive information from the system on a
"data dump" basis.
   The PCC, which represents broker-forwarder groups in San Diego, Calif.;
Los Angeles, Northern California, Columbia River and Washington state, has
been heavily involved in Customs systems developments over the years.
   When Customs and Census Bureau initially proposed the Automated Export
System, the PCC said it would have a detrimental effect on U.S. exports.
Three years later, the PCC said AES closely reflects its recommendations.