U.S. CUSTOMS AND EC MEET TO DISCUSS MARITIME SECURITY

U.S. CUSTOMS AND EC MEET TO DISCUSS MARITIME SECURITY    Officials of the U.S. Customs Service and the European Commission met in Brussels on Tuesday (Oct. 22) to discuss maritime security issues, including the U.S. Container Security Initiative and the 24-hour prior manifest transmission rule.
   The European Community said that it shares the objective of improving maritime transport security and protecting trade against threats of terrorist attack, but added that there are differences between the security policies of Europe and the U.S.
   At the meeting, both sides recognized the importance of cooperation to ensure both better security and facilitation of legitimate trade, the EC reported.
   “In the discussion, a number of major principles for future cooperation were stressed, most particularly reciprocity, common standards for the selection and performance of controls to increase security and at the same time facilitate legitimate trade,” the EC commented.
   The EC confirmed that its views and those of U.S. officials differ “on a few points such as the proposed U.S. 24 hours rule.” This proposed rule would require carriers to provide U.S. Customs with cargo manifest information 24 hours before the related cargo is loaded on board a U.S.-bound vessel.
   “Both parties also agreed to quickly explore the possibilities of signing a declaration of principle to cooperate on a mutually acceptable container security system covering the whole European Union which would integrate the needs for securing international trade in containers,” the EC said. The Brussels-based organization has opposed bilateral container security agreements between the U.S. and individual countries within the EU.
   The EC also referred to future discussions within the World Customs Organization “task force on security and facilitation” in the international supply chain. The deadline for most of the work of the task force is in June.
   The Brussels meeting follows a first meeting of European and American officials held in Washington on July 31.
   European Commissioner Frits Bolkestein will discuss the Container Security Initiative with U.S. Homeland Security Advisor Tom Ridge in Brussels on Nov. 4.
   The Container Security Initiative, launched by U.S. Customs, allows customs of different countries to cooperate and establish international security criteria to identify high-risk cargo containers. The U.S. aims to enrol 20 megaports worldwide in this initiative.