On May 14, 2019, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) published in the Federal Register a notice [Docket No. USCBP-2019-0013] announcing that the Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) will hold its quarterly meeting on Thursday, May 30, 2019, in Laredo, Texas. The meeting will be open to the public to attend either in person or via webinar. Meeting participants may attend either in person or via webinar after pre-registering using one of the methods indicated in the notice.

Agenda

The COAC will hear from the current subcommittees on the topics listed below and then will review, deliberate, provide observations, and formulate recommendations on how to proceed:

1. The Next Generation Facilitation Subcommittee will provide an update on the status of the Emerging Technologies Working Group’s use of blockchain to address challenges faced by both the government and the trade in today’s complex commercial environment. The discussion will highlight the Intellectual Property Rights Blockchain Proof of Concept Project as well as discuss other upcoming projects, including a day-long event that will solicit additional ideas for blockchain concepts that could be tested in the future. Finally, the subcommittee will provide recommendations regarding blockchain proofs of concept.

2. The Secure Trade Lanes Subcommittee will present a summary of the activities of the Trusted Trader Working Group including results of the May 8th and 9th face-to-face meeting 5 with Trusted Trader Pilot participants. The subcommittee will deliver an update on the progress of the In-Bond Working Group’s recommendation for the enhancement of the CBP In-bond program, the development of in-bond regulations, and enhancements to existing in-bond guidelines. The subcommittee will deliver an update on the launch of the new Export Modernization Working Group which will be developing recommendations for CBP’s expansion of current export pilots, regulatory changes that will mandate the use of electronic export manifest, and the expansion of post departure filing to new participants.

3. The Intelligent Enforcement Subcommittee will report on the work that has been conducted by the Intellectual Property Rights, Anti-Dumping and Countervailing Duty, and Bond Working Groups.

4. The Rapid Response Subcommittee will provide an update on its collaboration with CBP on furthering the strategic approach to the 21st Century Customs Framework.

Meeting materials will be available on the CBP website by May 28, 2019.