On August 31, 2015, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued Cargo Systems Messaging Service (CSMS) # 15-000644 announcing an updated timeline for the mandatory use of the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE).

The CSMS clarifies that, “While significant capabilities have been deployed to date, concerns about stakeholder readiness have necessitated a reassessment of our current timelines.”

The revised deadlines are as follows:

• November 1, 2015: Beginning of transition period. While not mandatory, users are encouraged to file in ACE. Eligible entry types in ACE include 01, 03, 11, 51, and 52 with or without PGA data.
• February 28, 2016: All electronic entries and entry summaries will be mandatory in ACE. ACS will no longer be available. Electronic FDA, NHTSA, and APHIS (Lacey) data must be filed in ACE.
• July, 2016: ACE must be used for filing AMS, APHIS Core, ATF, CDC, DCMA, DDTC, DEA E&C, EPA, FSIS, FWS, NMFS and TTB data.

CBP furthermore clarifies that “the transition period initiated on November 1, 2015 does not impact our December 2016 deadline for full implementation of the Single Window via ACE.”

The CSMS can be accessed online at:

http://apps.cbp.gov/csms/viewmssg.asp?Recid=21050&page=&srch_argv=&srchtype=&btype=&sortby=&sby=