Industry must continue to work closely with regulators to ensure impending advance data rules enhance security without impeding cargo flows, delegates at TIACA’s Executive Summit (ES) heard last week.
Representatives from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the European Union (EU), Transport Canada, Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), the World Customs Organization (WCO), and the International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO) took to the stage to give updates on their advance data pilot schemes and take questions from delegates.
“This is the first time that the key regulators for all of the advance data programs have sat together with industry to review and discuss how and when the programmes will be implemented and to hear industry’s perspective,” said Doug Brittin, Secretary General, TIACA. “We appreciate this opportunity to have a frank and open discussion as well as their commitment to working with industry.”
Officials at the summit agreed with delegates that the so-called 7 + 1 data set currently used in the pilots is sufficient for civil aviation risk assessment and can be provided early in the supply chain.
Formalisation of advance data regulations is slow however, and solutions are needed to ensure small and medium forwarders will be able to comply and are not put at a commercial disadvantage.
“It is good to have a dialogue, but we need to get our base camp organised and focus on data quality and, importantly what we are going to do with the referrals,” said Kester Meijer, director operational integrity, KLM Cargo, who took part in the debate. “How are we as industry going to manage referrals, what is the next step?”
TIACA’s senior director of government affairs, Sue Presti called on industry to take responsibility for giving feedback to regulators “Industry has been part of this from the start and that must continue,” Presti said. “When notice of rulemaking is given, we will be urging our members to give feedback from their own company perspective, just as we will be doing as TIACA.”
Asha Menon, senior technical officer, Compliance and Facilitation Directorate, WCO, who was a member of the panel, stressed the need for regulators and industry to work to raise awareness of advance data regulations. “Opportunities such as the one today are important,” Menon said.
The ES in Miami, USA brought together over 200 supply chain executives from across the globe to hear presentations from industry experts on supply chain strategies for Latin America.
