Recommendations Adopted by COAC to Improve Import Process

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October 9, 2014

  On October 7, 2014 a working group of the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations (COAC) provided recommendations to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on how to enhance the importation process.  The group stated that each proposal was designed to “help improve the quality of data submitted to FDA and reduce the number of rejects that don’t pass the automated screening process in PREDICT,” since only 30% of the goods pass the automated system without “manual review.”  

    Out of 32 recommendations proposed by the working group, which consisted of members of the pharmaceutical, medical device, and food industries as well as express carriers and brokers, 11 provisions were adopted.  The recommendations include measures to enhance “data quality, processes and procedures, information technology, and communication.”  One of the provisions would improve the quality of data by allowing amendments after submitting information to the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE).  The other recommendations enrich data by defining codes in more detail and clarifying identification numbers. Finally, several of the provisions increase communication between CBP, the FDA, and the trade community while also educating the public on procedures and publishing additional guidance to ease the importation process.

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