Importer Security Filing (ISF) No Enforcement Delay

The rumors of a delay in the enforcement of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP’s) new Importer Security Filing (ISF 10+2) CBP are running rampant in the industry. Contrary to this belief, CBP will move forward as announced at the Trade Symposium in December with the first phase of ISF enforcement on January 26, 2010.
CBP plans to deploy a graduated or escalated enforcement strategy first dealing with consignments arriving on U.S. shores without having had an ISF filed. According to well-placed sources at CBP, there will be no monetary penalties issued during this first phase which is anticipated to last for three (3) months.

So, beginning on Tuesday of next week CBP will detain or otherwise delay the release of imported maritime cargo arriving in the U.S. without having had an ISF filed against it. This strategy is consistent with their reasonable informed compliance approach.

Importers who are currently filing or just beginning to file their ISF’s have, at a minimum, a three-month reprieve before they can expect the penalty notices for untimely or inaccurate ISF’s to start arriving. Instead of penalty notices however, CBP indicated that importers with these issues may start receiving Warning Letters from CBP.

For more information on ISF please visit TRG Direct at www.trgdirect.com or Trade Innovations at www.tradeinnovations.com.