WASHINGTON — Phase Four enforcement of the Truck Trade Act slated to take effect today for non-ACE carriers has been delayed one month until June 15, 2006.

The latest Advance Electronic Cargo Information rules for trucks entering Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) ports were supposed to be implemented today, Mon. May 15, 2006. However, according to a notice by Lawrence Rosenzweig, acting director of US Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Trade Relations, the Phase Four Enforcement policy has been temporarily shelved because of “unexpected programming difficulties that have not been resolved with the ACE e-Truck manifest.”

Before it can start enforcement, CBP says it needs to complete programming to enable ACE recognition of FAST ID cards, as well as support the ability of third-party service providers to transmit an electronic manifest via ACE.

Under the new enforcement phase, any PAPS cargo shipment arriving by truck at an ACE enabled port (several crossings in Washington, N. Dakota, and Michigan — including Blaine, Pembia, Detroit and Port Huron) without having transmitted advance cargo information to Customs by the time of arrival will not be able to cross into the U.S.

Currently, truckers that arrive at the border before CBP has received the cargo information are being referred to secondary – with no penalty — if the officer deems that the information was sent to a broker beforehand. Now, under Phase Four, that option would be restricted only to carriers that are ACE e-manifest participants.

The policy dramatically increases the need for carriers or drivers to confirm the PAPS status with their broker prior to arriving at the border.

Questions via E-mail may be directed to the group mailbox at Manifest.Branch@dhs.gov. Additional information can be found at CBP’s website linked below.