European Aviation Security Program - Known Consignor Transition Period Expires March 25:

On 4 March 2010, the European Union introduced implementing measures for Commission Regulation (EU) No 300/2008 that establishes common rules in the field of civil aviation security. Detailed measures for implementation set forth in Commission Regulation (EU) No 185/2010 became effective on 29 April 2010 and lay out amended requirements for known consignors (KC).

The European Commission provided for a three year transition period for full implementation of regulation EU 185/2010 to European based exporters that had become known consignors under the previous set of requirements.  On March 25, 2013, this transition period will end and Known Consignor (“KC”) validations made prior to the regulation changes in April 2010 will expire.  Although the European Commission has not yet published anything official, other industry sources mentioned that it is possible that the legally correct date of March 25 will be pushed back until April 29, 2013 via a Commission Regulation.

A shipper who has KC accreditation would benefit from their cargo moving through the supply chain without any physical screening controls or costs being applied as long as the consignment has been protected from unauthorized interference from the time that those security controls were applied until loading on board an aircraft.

Shippers that are interested in becoming known consignors must apply to the relevant authority for aviation security in the European member state in which they are located.

For further information regarding European Aviation Security Program see the following websites or contact your local Expeditors representative.

Further information on the regulations can be found online here and here.

Update ILA & NY-New Jersey on Negotiations:

On March 8, 2013, American Shipper published an article announcing that a tentative agreement was reached between members of the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) and the New York-New Jersey employers. As previously reported, local labor agreements are pivotal to the ratification of the contract covering the East and Gulf Coast ports.

The Journal of Commerce (JOC) also published an article, saying that "the ILA and United States Maritime Alliance, the employers’ coastwide umbrella group, have set a Friday deadline for completion of local contracts." According to the JOC, several other ports have already finished or are near the completion of local agreements.

Expeditors will continue to monitor the situation closely, and will report updates as they occur.

The American Shipper article can be found online here.

The JOC article can be accessed here.