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Commercial
Information Circulars
24-hour hotline : 23 922 922
e-mail address : enquiry@tid.gov.hk
Ref : CR EIC 111/2/16
16 January 2003
Dear Sirs,
Commercial Information Circular No.
22/2003
US : Proposed Rule on
Confidentiality Protection for Vessel Cargo Manifest Information
The US Customs Service announced in the Federal Register
(FR) notice of 9 January 2003 proposals to amend the US Customs Regulations
to provide for parties, such as carriers and non-vessel operating common
carriers (NVOCCs), that electronically transmit vessel cargo manifest
information directly to the US Customs Service at least 24 hours before
cargo is laden aboard the vessel at the foreign port, to request
confidentiality with respect to the name and address of the importer or
consignee, related marks and identification numbers that reveal their names
and addresses, and the names and addresses of their shippers. These parties
must submit to the US Customs Service a letter of authorization signed by
the importer or consignee with the request for confidentiality. At present,
only the importer or consignee, or an authorized employee, attorney, or
official of the importer or consignee, is allowed to make such requests.
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The proposed rule was issued in light of concerns
expressed by the NVOCC community that certain information and data that
NVOCCs would supply under the US Customs Service's requirement on
24-hour advance filing of manifest information would be subject to
release for publication. Vessel manifest information is made available
to newspapers, commercial magazines, trade journals, and similar
publications, and the NVOCCs contended that such release would reveal
confidential business information that could result in harm to them.
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Written comments must reach the US Customs Service on or
before 10 February 2003. Interested parties may wish to send
their submissions direct to the Regulations Branch, Office of
Regulations and Rulings, US Customs Service, 1300
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC
20229, USA.
A copy of the FR notice is appended
(pdf format) to this circular for reference.
ENQUIRIES
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For enquiries concerning the content of this circular,
please contact the undersigned at 2398 5682.
Yours faithfully,
(Miss Sofie Chow)
for Director-General of Trade and Industry
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EDI Service for Restrained Textiles Export Licence
(RTEL) enables traders to make RTEL applications directly through
their office computer faster and easier. EDI Service is also
provided for Production Notification and Certificate of
Origin. For details and enquiries, please call Tradelink at
2599 1700. |
Note : While every effort is made to ensure the
accuracy of the above information, the Department cannot guarantee this to
be so and will not be held liable for any reliance placed on the same.
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