Beyond the Border Action Plan: Progress to Date Briefing to Border Commercial Consultative Committee (BCCC) February 11-12, 2014
The objective of this document is to provide: an overview of Beyond the Border (BtB) governance and related committees; an update on recent accomplishments by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) in moving BtB initiatives forward. INITIATIVES Integrated Cargo Security Strategy (ICSS) PROGRESS The Strategy has been developed in collaboration with our U.S. counterparts and approved in September 2012. Launch of pilots: Prince Rupert Pilot (marine/rail): Launched in October 2012 and concluded in October 2013. The six-month assessment period has started and will end in the spring 2014. CBSA-TC Cargo Targeting Initiative (PACT): Launched in October 2012. The sixmonth assessment period has started and will end in the spring 2014. Montreal Pilot (marine/highway): Launched in January 2013. The six-month assessment period has started and will end in the spring 2014. Newark pilot: The US has not provided yet a date for the pilot launch. Wood Packaging Material (WPM) Study: Completed a wood packaging material feasibility study to identify and address any policy, program, or operational changes required to permit advance screening of wood packaging material at the perimeter to allow for expedited processing of such shipments at the border. Pilot information and the Strategy were posted on the CBSA s website in September 2013. Agency to complete assessment of all the pilots by spring 2014 in order to determine the next steps. Wood Packaging Material (WPM) study is expected to be endorsed by the U.S. shortly. 2
Interactive Advance Passenger Information (IAPI) Quarterly meetings with Airline Industry Working Group (AIWG) since late 2012. Approval of Regulatory Changes Policy paper July 2013. Ongoing meetings with CBSA stakeholders, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) and the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS), are held frequently to ensure progress is made on the required Regulatory Changes. Publication of a Web page to allow the general public to comment on IAPI, in December 2013. Collaborative work between CBSA and CIC to establish the Electronic Travel Authorization (eta) and visa requirements. Meetings with AIWG will continue to engage air industry and General Aviation throughout the project development. Implement the IAPI system to send board / no board messages by fall 2015. Entry / Exit Information Initiative (E/E) Phase I Pilot launched in September 2012; first exchange of data October 2012, at four ports of entry: Pacific Highway, Surrey (BC)/Blaine (WA); Douglas, Surrey (BC)/Peace Arch, Blaine (WA); Rainbow Bridge, Niagara Falls (ON)/Niagara Falls (NY); Queenston-Lewiston Bridge, Niagara-on-the-Lake (ON)/Lewiston (NY). Phase II successfully launched in June 2013; expanded the exchange of data collected on third-country nationals, permanent residents of Canada who are not US citizens and lawful permanent residents of the US who are not Canadian citizens, to all automated land border ports of entry, including all major land border crossings. Successes of Phase II: 96.6% reconciliation rate of exit records reconciled to entry records; Several matches identified related to Immigration Warrants and Removal Orders. 3
Phase III: By June 2014, E/E will expand to include exchange of data on all travellers at all automated common land border ports of entry. Phase IV: By June 2014, Canada will develop an air travel system to establish exit information on outbound international flights, similar to the one in the U.S., under which air transporters will be required to submit passenger manifest. Trusted Trader Programs Aligned policies and procedures with U.S. Customs Border Protection (US CBP) to allow harmonization of Canadian Partner in Protection (PIP) program and the U.S. Customs- Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT). Free and Secure Trade (FAST) expansion pilot completed in Sarnia, in April 2013. The pilot assessment has been completed in January 2014 and may lead to changes at the three ports of entry (POEs) where FAST is currently available: Windsor, ON / Detroit, MI; Sarnia, ON / Port Huron, MI; Pacific Highway, BC / Blaine, WA. Completed the joint CBSA-CFIA pilot to extend Customs Self Assessment (CSA) benefits to processed food sector August 2012. Canada Gazette included regulation amendments allowing U.S. non resident importers to participate in CSA Program published in June 2013. The CSA Importer Self Assessment (ISA) comparison report and stakeholder consultations completed and results posted online in December 2013. A news release will shortly be posted to announce the Customs Self Assessment Self Verification benefits. In the spring 2014, Canada will develop an interoperable communication portal to automate enrolments (similar to the one in the U.S.). 4
NEXUS Benefits Extended NEXUS eligibility to non-resident Canadian and U.S. citizens in June 2012. Enhanced NEXUS program enrolment (including mobile enrolment) and compliance (review compliance enforcement and redress); and implemented an expedited renewal process in July 2012. Included Canadian NEXUS members in the U.S Transportation Security Administration risk-based screening process in November 2012. Third-Country Traveler program: Completed joint plan establishing guidelines to incorporate third-country traveller programs. CBSA and CBP are planning to meet early 2014 to discuss the feasibility of extending trusted traveller arrangements to other countries. Enhanced Facilities for Trusted Programs Throughout 2014; CBSA and U.S. CBP will continue to work together to enhance benefits of NEXUS program and attract new members. CBSA and U.S. CBP are working together on the development of a trilateral trusted traveller arrangement expanding eligibility to NEXUS program to a third-country by the end of the year. To match recent U.S. investments, Canada expanded NEXUS lanes and booths; implemented eight sites out of nine where NEXUS is currently available: Abbotsford (BC); Douglas (BC); Pacific Highway (BC); Sarnia (ON); Fort Erie (ON); Queenston (ON); Windsor (ON); Lacolle, (QC). FAST pilot review completed in December 2012; final recommendation on FAST 5
expansion is underway. A news release was issued on November 2013, announcing additional new NEXUS lanes at Lacolle (QC) and Windsor (ON). By March 2014: Install two of five NEXUS lanes at POEs where NEXUS is currently not available. The remaining three lanes will be installed in 2014/15: Windsor Bridge (ON) and Pac Highway (BC) in January 2014; Stanstead (QC) and Douglas (BC) in April 2014; The location of the fifth lane remains to be determined by March 2014. Installation of the ninth new NEXUS lane at Aldergrove (BC) will take place in 2015/2016, to align with the port rebuild. Single Window Initiative (SWI) CBSA held successful consultation sessions on electronic data requirements with the trade industry between March and July, 2013. Developed a new pre-arrival electronic message that converts essential Canadian data requirements for participating government departments and agencies (PGAs) to electronic format. As of December 31, 2013, CBSA has begun testing and shared the relevant data with the four priority PGAs; Health Canada (HC); Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA); Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD); Transport Canada (TC); In addition to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), as well as Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). Upcoming Milestone: The CBSA will complete the Benefits and Efficiencies Business Case by March 2015 in order to receive the final two years of funding from the Treasury Board Secretariat. The CBSA will continue to engage importers, brokers and other trade stakeholders in the design and development of SWI. 6
Small and Remote Ports of Entry (SRPOE) Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Remote traveller processing pilots at Piney (MB) and Morses Line (QC): Announced in 2013; Pilot to commence in April 2015. The Canada - U.S. Border Infrastructure Investment Plan (BIIP) was posted on the Transport Canada s website in June 2013, with an annex on SRPOE. Upcoming Milestone: Rationalized hours of service: work continues to develop consensus recommendations by June 2014. The second BIIP Annual Report, including an annex on SRPOE, is to be published in early 2014; By April 2015, implementation of the remote traveller processing pilots: Construction at the two pilot sites tentatively scheduled to begin in August 2014; Review and assessment of the pilots to start in October 2015. A Request for Proposal (RFP) and Statement of Work (SOW) have been posted to the buyandsell.gc.ca website in January 2014. The CBSA continues to work with CIC to identify the parameters for the development of an RFID-enabled Permanent Resident Card. A communications strategy for the roll-out of the RFID technology is being developed to inform Canadians of their options in choosing proper travel documents to cross the border. RFID technology to start deployment at 11 land border crossings in summer 2014. Negotiations with provincial Enhanced Drivers Licence issuing authorities are expected to begin in early spring 2014. 7
Bi-national Port Operations Committees (BPOCs) Addition of BPOCs to Canada s eight major international airports was completed in December 2012. Evaluation of committees was completed and the report was released in December 2013. Initiative completed. 8
NON CBSA-LED INITIATIVES Preclearance / Preinspection (Public Safety-Led) Low-value shipments (LVS) (Finance Canada-Led) Border Fees Inventory (Public Safety-Led) PROGRESS Phase I pilot (Pacific Highway / Blaine) in the land mode started in June 2013. It ceased operations in November, 2013. US CBP issued a press release formally announcing the conclusion of the pilot on January 2, 2014. Phase I Pilot evaluation to start early 2014. Phase II at Peace Bridge is scheduled to begin in February 2014 and will continue for up to 12 months. Increased and harmonized the value thresholds of low value shipments to $2,500 for expedited customs clearance. Announcement was made in January 2013. A Customs Notice was issued to implement the increase in the LVS threshold. Regulatory amendments will follow later and will be retroactive to the date of the Customs Notice to provide legal force. Two inventories of fees collected for commercial border services for the Government of Canada (GoC) and U.S. Government. This inventory of fees and charges at the border is nearly finalized. However, there have been some challenges calculating the individual amounts collected for CFIA fees that are collected by CBSA. Given these challenges, PS will be working with Statistics Canada to put a contract in place that will study and assist in producing estimates based on shipment data so that they can isolate amounts collected in relation to specific Canada-US border fee activities. 9
Public Safety and U.S. CBP to post their respective inventory on their websites with a hyperlink to the others date to be determined. CBSA completed business requirements to develop BWT connection. Border Wait Time (Transport Canada-Led) New Transport Canada target date for installation of technology to automate seven POEs and the creation of connections to transfer the BWT data from the vendor to the CBSA is anticipated for spring 2014. The remaining seven POEs are scheduled to be completed in 2014/2015. Release for new CBSA Border Wait Time Application is scheduled for spring 2014. 10