Customs Automation Is Finally Happening. Really!

After years of delay, the automation of importer filings, involving multiple government agencies, is upon us. Say hello to the ''Single Window.'' Despite some last-minute pushback of deadlines, U.S. Customs Border Protection's Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) is about to become a reality. Importers and customs brokers stand to benefit from the streamlined handling of documents. But the real news can be found in another name for ACE: The Single Window. It means that one filing will be sufficient to reach 48 U.S. government agencies – nine of which have the power to hold up an import shipment if it lacks the necessary documentation. The road to ACE has long been studded with potholes. Now, though, the importing community will have to come up to speed. On this episode, we're joined by Christopher Logan, president of Livingston International U.S.A., who explains what traders must do to comply with the initiative, when various agencies will fall in line, and what benefits will result. Will we finally realize the dream of a paperless regulatory environment, with a drastic reduction in bureaucracy?