US, Chile sign Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement

On July 1, 2014, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced that the United States signed a Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement (CMAA) with Chile on June 30, 2014 marking a significant milestone in collaboration on security and trade facilitation between the two countries. The CBP Commissioner signed the agreement on behalf of CBP and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Minister of Finance signed the agreement on behalf of Chile. 

The U.S. – Chile Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement was signed at the US Department of State as a part of a larger Chilean delegation visit to the United States, including meetings between President Barack Obama and Chilean President Michelle Bachelet.

The United States has now signed 70 CMAAs with other customs administrations across the world. CMAAs are bilateral agreements between countries and enforced by their respective customs administrations. They provide the legal framework for the exchange of information and evidence to assist countries in the enforcement of customs laws, including duty evasion, trafficking, proliferation, money laundering, and terrorism-related activities. CMAAs also serve as foundational documents for subsequent information sharing arrangements, including mutual recognition arrangements on authorized economic operator programs.