May 20 (CPSC)

The U.S. CPSC and Customs and Boarder Protection (CBP) recently agreed to give CPSC personnel the authority to issue safety-related detention notices directly to importers.

CPSC staff will work directly with industry importers or brokers to resolve CPSC-related compliance issues, instead of working through CBP officers.  In addition, CPSC staff will now have access to CBP's Commercial Targeting and Analysis Center (CTAC) for Import Safety, which collects and analyzes imports for possible safety violations.  Data from CTAC will enable CPSC staff to better target potential risks and identify import shipments that require safety risk assessments. 

The CPSC will also have employees at 10 of the biggest ports of entry working alongside CBP inspectors to speed the sharing of samples, reduce examination times, and improve interagency communication.

The changes are expected to result in a faster and more efficient import entry process. The CPSC will post guidance on the procedures on their website prior to the official launch of the new program, which could be as early as late May.

Full article.