Recent Trade & Tariff Perspectives

September 22, 2021 | Kevin Koch Senior Manager, Product Development

Improve U.S. Trade Law Compliance with the ACE Secure Data Portal

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) stated on average, the agency uses the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) system to manage nearly 90,000 cargo entries, valued at more than $6.6 billion dollars. In fiscal year 2020, CBP processed $2.4 trillion of import product and $1.6 trillion in exports, and it collected $84 billion in duties, taxes, and fees.

CBP continues to upgrade ACE to keep up with the rapid changes in technology and the international trade marketplace, while ensuring the system continues to meet the needs of its users. Read more about what this incredible system can do to help improve your import and export trade compliance program.

What is ACE and how does it work?

ACE is the backbone of CBP’s trade processing and risk management activities. The ACE Portal provides a centralized access point to connect CBP, trade representatives, and Participating Government Agencies (PGAs) involved in importing goods into, and exporting goods from, the United States. The ACE Portal helps shippers improve compliance with trade laws by enabling users to identify and evaluate compliance issues, monitor daily operations, set up payment options, review filings, access reports, compile data, and perform trend analysis.

Where can the trade community learn more about ACE benefits and features?

U.S. importers and exporters, and other trade community members, can find their trade data online through the ACE Secure Data Portal. On the other hand, new users can apply for an account online to take advantage of the system’s numerous benefits. In addition, CBP regularly updates its development and deployment schedule, so you can keep up to date on any changes.

What are some of the ways to interact with the ACE Secure Data Portal?

Having an ACE account is one of my favorite suggestions listed on C.H. Robinson’s Trade Compliance Strategies to Consider guidance document. In fact, in today’s fast-paced and very challenging policy and enforcement environment, I would find it difficult to exercise reasonable care over my trade compliance program without having an ACE Portal account, let alone trying to craft strategies to improve business processes or reduce landed costs.

There are many benefits to having an ACE Portal account for shippers, including it being free. Additional benefits include:

• Communicate electronically with CBP and other agencies
• Access reporting options to manage trade compliance and daily operations of brokers
• Identify unauthorized filers/activity
• Determine trade remedy and antidumping/countervailing duty case impacts
• Retrieve Importer Security Filing (ISF) progress reports
• Manage your direct payment account for duties, taxes, and fees with CBP
• Review and download comprehensive import and export data sets for detailed analysis

How can C.H. Robinson help?

With more than 100 licensed customs brokers in our U.S. network, C.H. Robinson has the skills and expertise to help you navigate the ACE Portal with ease. Connect with one of our trade policy experts to learn how to setup and schedule reports for easy delivery.

Sources:

• ACE Secure Data Portal: Overview
• PSA—Virtual Trade Week 2021—CBP Office of Trade on ACE
• ACE Development Deployment Schedule