82 FR 2442 - Importation of Distilled Spirits, Wine, Beer, Malt Beverages, Tobacco Products, Processed Tobacco, and Cigarette Papers and Tubes; Cancellation of Pilot Program Testing Electronic Collection of Import Data

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 5 (January 9, 2017)

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) is cancelling a pilot program in which importers, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and TTB tested, as part of the International Trade Data System (ITDS) project, the electronic collection of import-related data required by TTB and the transfer of that data to TTB. TTB has amended its regulations to permanently provide importers with the option to file import-related data electronically along with the filing of the entry or entry summary with CBP, making the pilot program no longer necessary.

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 5 (Monday, January 9, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2442-2443]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-00083]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau

[Docket No. TTB-2015-0012; Notice No. 169]


Importation of Distilled Spirits, Wine, Beer, Malt Beverages, 
Tobacco Products, Processed Tobacco, and Cigarette Papers and Tubes; 
Cancellation of Pilot Program Testing Electronic Collection of Import 
Data

AGENCY: Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, Treasury.

ACTION: Notice of cancellation of pilot program.

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SUMMARY: The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) is 
cancelling a pilot program in which importers, U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection (CBP), and TTB tested, as part of the International Trade 
Data System (ITDS) project, the electronic collection of import-related 
data required by TTB and the transfer of that data to TTB. TTB has 
amended its regulations to permanently provide importers with the 
option to file import-related data electronically along with the filing 
of the entry or entry summary with CBP, making the pilot program no 
longer necessary.

DATES: The cancellation of the pilot program is effective December 31, 
2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Kyranos, Regulations and Rulings 
Division, Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, 1310 G Street NW., 
Box 12, Washington, DC 20005; telephone (202) 453-1039, extension 001; 
or email [email protected].
    For technical questions related to the Automated Commercial 
Environment (ACE) or Automated Broker Interface (ABI) transmissions, 
contact Steven Zaccaro at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In Notice No. 156, a Federal Register notice 
published on August 7, 2015 (80 FR 47558), the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax 
and Trade Bureau (TTB) announced a pilot program to test the collection 
and transfer of certain import data through the Automated Commercial 
Environment (ACE), which is maintained by U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection (CBP). This pilot was part of TTB's effort to implement the 
International Trade Data System (ITDS). The pilot program was open to 
importers of distilled spirits, wine, beer and malt beverages, tobacco 
products, processed tobacco, and cigarette papers and tubes, and to 
U.S. government and industrial alcohol users (referred to in

[[Page 2443]]

this document, collectively, as ``importers'').
    Notice No. 156 also announced the availability of, and requested 
comment on, a draft of the ACE Filing Instructions for TTB-Regulated 
Commodities (Filing Instructions), which contains instructions for 
proper electronic filing of import data for TTB-regulated commodities. 
TTB requested comment on the draft Filing Instructions for 60 days 
ending October 6, 2015. TTB received no written comments by that date. 
However, TTB's experience administering the pilot program led us to 
make several changes to the Filing Instructions.
    In Industry Circular 2015-01, issued on October 21, 2015, TTB 
described how importers participating in the pilot program would submit 
specific information through ACE, either as an approved alternative to 
procedures prescribed in the TTB regulations or as a means to fulfill 
or demonstrate compliance with regulatory requirements. At the time, 
most TTB regulations that required the submission of information to CBP 
at importation required importers to submit paper documents or paper 
copies of those documents to CBP. Industry Circular 2015-01 also 
provided specific information about how to apply to participate in the 
pilot program.
    In T.D. TTB-145, a final rule published in the Federal Register on 
December 22, 2016 (81 FR 94186), and effective December 31, 2016, TTB 
amended its regulations to clarify and streamline import procedures, 
and support the implementation of ITDS and the filing of import 
information electronically. The amendments include providing the option 
for importers to file import-related data electronically when filing 
entry or entry summary data electronically with CBP. As a result, as of 
December 31, 2016, the TTB regulations provide all TTB-regulated 
importers with the same option to file import-related information 
through ACE that participants in the pilot program had.
    For this reason, this document announces the cancellation of the 
pilot program and Industry Circular 2015-01, effective December 31, 
2016. On that date, importers who have been participating in the pilot 
program must follow TTB's regulations with regard to submitting data 
through ACE for importation of TTB-regulated commodities. Importers who 
have not been participating in the pilot program also must follow TTB's 
amended regulations to submit required information on paper or 
electronically.
    In addition to the changes TTB made to the Filing Instructions due 
to the experience gained through the pilot program, TTB has also 
updated the Filing Instructions to reflect the regulatory changes made 
in T.D. TTB-145. The latest version of the Filing Instructions can be 
found on https://www.cbp.gov by searching for its title.
    TTB notes that transmissions to ACE must be through a CBP-approved 
electronic data interchange system. For more information on submission 
of import-related information and forms through ACE, please see CBP's 
home page on use of ACE at https://www.cbp.gov/trade/automated.
    For more general information on TTB's implementation of ITDS, see 
https://www.ttb.gov/importers/learn-more-itds.shtml.

Drafting Information

    Andrew Malone of the Regulations and Rulings Division drafted this 
notice.

    Signed: January 3, 2017.
John J. Manfreda,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2017-00083 Filed 1-6-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4810-31-P