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FAST card deadline moved back to May 1
By Jill Dunn
Because of a backlog in processing thousands of applications, the deadline for requiring Free And Secure Trade cards of all Border Release Advance Screening and Selectivity drivers has been extended to May 1.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced four days before the previously scheduled date of Jan. 31 that enforcement would be delayed for the first group of 40 ports.
The BRASS program is an automated system to speed cross-border processing of certain products. Approved applicants, such as shippers and manufacturers, are assigned a code for use in BRASS transactions.
The Trade Act of 2002 requires advance transmission of electronic cargo information. As a temporary measure to accommodate that, Customs wants carriers with BRASS merchandise to use only FAST-registered drivers.
During the past two months, Customs has received 20,000 FAST driver applications, while an additional 15,000 FAST drivers have been conditionally approved, but have not completed the interview process to receive their cards.
The FAST Processing Center and enrollment centers will be pitching in to process the applications within 90 days, Customs said.
The new May 1 deadline does not apply to the ports of Eastport, Idaho; International Falls and Grand Portage, Minn.; and Jackman, Maine, which will be exempted until further notice.
Drivers who bring BRASS shipments to the affected ports before May 1 without a FAST card will continue to receive informed compliance notices.
A list of affected ports and more information on the Trade Act of 2002 and its cargo information requirements are available at www.customs.ustreas.gov/xp/cgov/home.xml.
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