The Parliamentary Standing Committee on International Trade (CIIT) has published the interim report on its study of CARM implementation: https://www.ourcommons.ca/documentviewer/en/44-1/CIIT/report-17. The report—which was finalized prior to the CBSA’s April 19th announcement of CARM’s delayed implementation—recommends that the Government of Canada:
Implement measures designed to ensure that the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) allows stakeholders that are ready to participate in CARM on 13 May 2024 to do so, and permits stakeholders that are not ready to do so on that date to continue using the existing systems unto they are ready to use CARM. If these measures are not possible, the Government should delay implementation of CARM;
Adequately test all technologies underlying CARM, and resolve any challenges as expeditiously as possible and prior to full implementation;
Allocate sufficient resources to support all Canadian firms, but especially those that are small or medium in size, as they transition to CARM;
Consult with relevant stakeholders prior to developing a contingency plan to be implemented if CARM does not function as planned following its full implementation;
Immediately take actions designed to inform Canadian stakeholders about the contingency plans in two areas: the shut down of the CBSA’s current Customs Automated Data Exchange – or CADEX –system on 26 April 2024; and the subsequent full implementation of CARM on 13 May 2024;
Permit importers of commercial goods into Canada to use their customs broker’s posted financial security until April 2025 so that their shipments can be cleared before duties and taxes are paid;
Take actions designed to ensure accuracy concerning assessments of the amount of duties and taxes payable in relation to commercial goods imported into Canada; and
Continue to consult relevant stakeholders concerning, as well as communicate with them about, CARM. Consultations and communications should be timely, inclusive and ongoing.