U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has announced the outcomes of recent demonstrations focusing on global interoperability standards, marking a significant advancement in enhancing supply chain transparency and accountability. These demonstrations aimed at showcasing the automated verification of digital credentials for secure information exchange between businesses and CBP systems.
In collaboration with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), CBP tested the system's capability to exchange pre-arrival information for perishable goods earlier than current processes allow. This initiative is expected to minimize delays in administrative processing, facilitating a more efficient clearance process. "We broke new ground exchanging data between CBP, partner government agencies, and businesses when we built the U.S. single window for trade, known as the Automated Commercial Environment," stated AnnMarie R. Highsmith, Executive Assistant Commissioner for Trade.
The agency also conducted technology demonstrations targeting the e-commerce sector. One demonstration used unique identifiers to validate registered chemicals before they reach U.S. soil. Another demonstration with FedEx and a major American sporting goods brand focused on enhancing consumer safety by validating brand-specific encrypted credentials.
In another sector-specific demonstration, CBP worked with Twin Eagle, Livingston International, and Avista to track natural gas from origin to importation at a molecular level by weight.
These efforts are part of an ongoing series conducted with the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate’s Silicon Valley Innovation Program (SVIP) alongside private companies. The aim is to improve supply chain traceability through modernized data collection methods.
"The food supply chain scenario tests provided greater insight for the feasibility of this technology," commented Dan Solis, Assistant Commissioner for FDA’s Import Operations.
CBP plans to use these results to inform its ACE 2.0 modernization effort aligned with its 21st Century Customs Framework vision.
For further details on these initiatives or CBP's investment in global interoperability standards, interested parties can visit CBP’s various web pages or contact them directly via email.
