ACE begins to attract more users

ACE begins to attract more users    U.S. Customs and Border Protection proclaimed its three-month pilot test of a periodic monthly statement and payment system for import duties a success.
   More than 30 importers or their designated customs brokers participated in the trial to see whether import transactions can be consolidated under an importer’s account for payment on a monthly basis rather than when each shipment arrives.
   CBP has since opened up the process to more importers and at last count had 160 importer and broker accounts. Most participants so far are large corporations who collectively represent almost 30 percent of the value of duties collected by the United States. In the first three months, Customs collected $32 million from importers through the monthly payment function.
   The periodic monthly statement is one of the first functions available in the new Automated Commercial Environment, a modernized computer system for processing import transactions under development.