U.S.Customs and Border Protection(CBP)Deputy Commissioner David V.Aguilar announced the expansion of the Centers of Excellence and Expertise(CEE),which will create six new centers in 2013 for the Agriculture&Prepared Products;Apparel,Footwear&Textiles;Base Metals;Consumer Products&Mass Merchandising;Industrial&Manufacturing Materials;and Machinery industries.
"Centers of Excellence and Expertise are not only the centerpiece of our trade process transformation,they already are increasing our capacity,"said Deputy Commissioner David V.Aguilar."This expansion will empower CBP to more effectively partner with industry to facilitate international trade through U.S.ports of entry."
The centers that are to be established in FY 2013 are:
1.Agriculture&Prepared Products:Miami
2.Apparel,Footwear&Textiles:San Francisco
3.Base Metals:Chicago
4.Consumer Products&Mass Merchandising:Atlanta
5.Industrial&Manufacturing Materials:Buffalo
6.Machinery:Laredo
These virtual centers will provide one-stop processing to lower the Trade's cost of business,provide greater consistency and predictability and enhance CBP enforcement efforts.The Centers represent CBP's expanded focus on"Trade in the 21st Century,"transforming customs procedures to align with modern business.The CEEs will also serve as resources to the broader trade community and to CBP's U.S.government partners.
CBP currently operates centers for Electronics in Long Beach;Pharmaceuticals,Health&Chemicals in New York City;Automotive&Aerospace in Detroit;and Petroleum,Natural Gas&Minerals in Houston.
U.S.Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management,control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry.CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S.laws.
