31 October 2002

ACI External Consultations

The CCRA Advance Commercial Information (ACI) Project team has been holding consultation sessions in various regions across Canada. These sessions have been regionally based, with regional CCRA offices inviting local participants. The CSCB has identified participants attending each of the sessions, and will convene a conference call of those participants to compare notes. We have some reservations about how any differences identified in the regional sessions willl be resolved, and will resume our ACI bilateral consultations with the CCRA when this series of regional meetings is completed.

ACI, formerly known as the Carrier Re-engineering initiative, is intended to introduce more effective risk management processes and tools for shipments that are not CSA, and those of unknown and high-risk. It will enable Customs to better detect contraband and threats to health, safety, and security.

To support the risk assessment process, Customs will require certain cargo, conveyance, and importer data before the goods arrive into the country. To ensure quick and efficient processing, the data must be transmitted electronically. Customs will then use a risk management approach, with sophisticated selectivity and targeting capabilities, to detect high-risk shipments. At the same time, legitimate low-risk shipments will be cleared more quickly.

The data elements that Customs requires for ACI are based on the G7 Data Elements. The CSCB has been working with our technology partner ViaSafe on a process that will move data electronically from carriers to customs brokers through our TradeGate process, in anticipation of the requirements of ACI.