Notice2025-15060
Modification of the National Customs Automation Program Test Concerning the Submission of Global Business Identifiers
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
August 8, 2025
Issuing agencies
Homeland Security DepartmentU.S. Customs and Border Protection
Abstract
On February 12, 2024, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) published a notice in the Federal Register extending and modifying a National Customs Automation Program Test concerning the submission of unique entity identifiers for the Global Business Identifier (GBI) Evaluative Proof of Concept (EPoC). This document republishes and supersedes that notice, renames the GBI EPoC to the Global Business Identifier Test (GBI Test), adds Altana Technologies USG Inc. (Altana) as a new Identity Management Company (IMC), and establishes a process for other IMCs to support CBP in the test.
Full Text
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 151 (Friday, August 8, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38479-38484]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-15060]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Modification of the National Customs Automation Program Test
Concerning the Submission of Global Business Identifiers
AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland
Security.
ACTION: General notice.
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SUMMARY: On February 12, 2024, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
published a notice in the Federal Register extending and modifying a
National Customs Automation Program Test concerning the submission of
unique entity identifiers for the Global Business Identifier (GBI)
Evaluative Proof of Concept (EPoC). This document republishes and
supersedes that notice, renames the GBI EPoC to the Global Business
Identifier Test (GBI Test), adds Altana Technologies USG Inc. (Altana)
as a new Identity Management Company (IMC), and establishes a process
for other IMCs to support CBP in the test.
[[Page 38480]]
DATES: The GBI Test will continue through February 23, 2027, subject to
any extension, modification, or early termination as announced in the
Federal Register. CBP continues to accept requests from importers of
record and licensed customs brokers to participate in the test until
the GBI Test concludes. Public comments on the test are invited and may
be submitted to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#1e595c575e7d7c6e307a766d30797168"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2364616a634041530d474b500d444c55">[email protected]</span></a>, at any time during the test period.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For policy-related questions, contact
Garrett Wright, Director, Trade Modernization Division, Trade Policy
and Programs Directorate, Office of Trade, U.S. Customs and Border
Protection, at (202) 897-9877 or via email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#88cfcac1c8ebeaf8a6ece0fba6efe7fe"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e7a0a5aea7848597c9838f94c9808891">[email protected]</span></a>, with a
subject line reading ``Global Business Identifier Test-GBI.'' For
technical questions related to the Automated Commercial Environment
(ACE) or Automated Broker Interface (ABI) transmissions, importers of
record and licensed customs brokers should contact their assigned ACE
or ABI client representatives, respectively. Interested parties without
an assigned client representative should direct their questions to
Tonya Perez, Director, Client Services Division, Office of Trade, U.S.
Customs and Border Protection, at (571) 421-7477 or via email at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#32515e5b575c464057425d4746405753515a725150421c565a411c555d44"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c1a2ada8a4afb5b3a4b1aeb4b5b3a4a0a2a981a2a3b1efa5a9b2efa6aeb7">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 2, 2022, U.S. Customs and Border
Protection (CBP) published a General Notice (the December 2022 Notice)
in the Federal Register (87 FR 74157) announcing a National Customs
Automation Program (NCAP) Test concerning the submission through the
Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) of certain unique entity
identifiers for the Global Business Identifier (GBI) Evaluative Proof
of Concept (EPoC). On July 21, 2023, CBP published a General Notice
(the July 2023 Notice) in the Federal Register (88 FR 47154) extending
and modifying the December 2022 Notice. Specifically, the July 2023
Notice extended the test period from July 21, 2023 through February 14,
2024; provided the correct web address for interested parties to use to
obtain the Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) from the Global Legal Entity
Identifier Foundation (GLEIF); and clarified that CBP would allow
participants to provide one or more of the three identifiers for the
manufacturers, shippers, and sellers (and optionally, exporters,
distributors, and packagers) of merchandise, and that CBP would not
require transmission of all three identifiers to participate in the
test. On February 12, 2024, CBP published a General Notice (the
February 2024 Notice) in the Federal Register (89 FR 9859) announcing
an extension of the test period through February 23, 2027, noting a
clarification in the purpose and scope of the GBI EPoC, removing the
commodity and country of origin limitations on the entries eligible for
the test, making changes to the contact information for questions
regarding the test, providing new web addresses dedicated to obtaining
GBIs, and making minor technical corrections. This document republishes
and supersedes the February 2024 Notice, with the following
modifications.
First, CBP is renaming the test from the ``Global Business
Identifier Evaluative Proof of Concept'' and the resulting acronym
``GBI EPoC,'' to the ``Global Business Identifier Test'' and ``GBI
Test,'' to align with the regulatory definition of a test under section
101.9 of title 19 of the Code of Federal Regulations (19 CFR 101.9).
Second, CBP is announcing that it has entered into an agreement with
Altana Technologies USG Inc. (Altana) to serve as an identity
management company (IMC) and has added Altana to the list of existing
IMCs: Dun & Bradstreet (D&B), GS1, and the Global Legal Entity
Identifier Foundation (GLEIF). Background subsection I.B now provides
that test participants may include identifiers provided by Altana in
the field assigned to any one of the three current GBIs.
Third, CBP is modifying subsection III.A by adding reference to
Altana throughout the subsection and including the Altana web address
for test participants' use when contacting Altana, adding the Altana ID
as a fourth identifier, and adding Altana as a fourth IMC. Fourth, this
notice is further modifying subsection III.B by dividing the section
into two subsections, with subsection 1 providing guidance to importers
of record and licensed customs brokers wishing to participate in the
GBI Test, and subsection 2 providing guidance to identifier and
traceability companies that are interested in supporting CBP by
becoming GBI Test IMCs.
For ease of reference, the February 2024 Notice is republished
below, with the changes described above.
I. Background
A. The National Customs Automation Program
The National Customs Automation Program (NCAP) was established by
Subtitle B of Title VI--Customs Modernization, in the North American
Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (Customs Modernization Act)
(Pub. L. 103-182, 107 Stat. 2057, 2170, December 8, 1993) (19 U.S.C.
1411). Through the NCAP, the thrust of customs modernization was
focused on informed trade compliance and the development of the
Automated Commercial Environment (ACE), the planned successor to the
Automated Commercial System (ACS). ACE is an automated and electronic
data interchange system for commercial trade processing, intended to
streamline business processes, facilitate growth in trade, ensure cargo
security, and foster participation in global commerce, while
facilitating compliance with U.S. laws and regulations and reducing
costs for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and all of its
communities of interest. The ability to meet these objectives depends
on successfully modernizing CBP's business functions and the
information technology that supports those functions. CBP's
modernization efforts are accomplished through phased releases of ACE
component functionality, which update the system and add new
functionality.
Sections 411 through 414 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1411-
1414), as amended, define and list the existing and planned components
of the NCAP (Section 411), promulgate program goals (Section 412),
provide for the implementation and evaluation of the program (Section
413), and provide for Remote Location Filing (Section 414). Section
411(a)(1)(A) lists the electronic entry of merchandise, Section
411(a)(1)(B) lists the electronic entry summary of required
information, and Section 411(a)(1)(D) lists the electronic transmission
of manifest information, as existing NCAP components. Section
411(d)(2)(A) provides for the periodic review of data elements
collected in order to update the standard set of data elements, as
necessary.
B. Global Business Identifier (GBI) Test
ACE is the system through which the U.S. Government has implemented
the ``Single Window,'' the primary system for processing trade-related
import and export data required by the Partner Government Agencies
(PGAs) that work alongside CBP in regulating specific commodities. The
transition away from paper-based procedures has resulted in faster,
more streamlined processes for both the U.S. Government and industry.
To continue this progress, CBP began working with the Border
Interagency Executive Council (BIEC) and the Commercial Customs
Operations Advisory Committee (COAC), starting in 2017, to discuss the
continuing viability of the data element known as the
[[Page 38481]]
manufacturer or shipper identification code (MID).
Currently, importers of record provide the MID at the time of
filing of the entry summary. See generally 19 CFR part 142. The 13-
digit MID is derived from the name and address of the manufacturer or
shipper, as specified on the commercial invoice, by applying a code
constructed pursuant to instructions specified by CBP. See Customs
Directive No. 3550-055, dated November 24, 1986 (available online at
<a href="https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/documents/3550-055_3.pdf">https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/documents/3550-055_3.pdf</a>).
Although use of the MID has served CBP and the international trade
community well in the past, it has become apparent that the MID is not
always a consistent or unique number. For example, the MID is based
upon the manufacturer or shipper name, address, and country of origin,
and this data can change over time and/or result in the same MID for
multiple entities. Also, while the MID provides limited identifying
information, other global unique identifiers capture a broader swath of
pertinent information regarding the entities with which they are
associated (e.g., legal ownership of businesses, specific business and
global locations, and supply chain roles and functions). Changes in
international trade and technology for tracking the flow of commodities
have presented an opportunity for CBP and PGAs to explore new processes
and procedures for identifying the parties involved in the supply
chains of imported goods.
CBP has thus engaged in regular outreach with stakeholders,
including, but not limited to, importers of record, licensed customs
brokers, trade associations, and PGAs, with a goal of obtaining
meaningful feedback on their existing systems and operations in order
to establish a mutually beneficial global entity identifier system. As
a result of these discussions, CBP developed the Global Business
Identifier (GBI) Test, which is an interagency trade transformation
project that aims to test global business identifiers as a supply chain
traceability solution, for industry and the U.S. Government alike. The
GBI Test seeks to amplify the U.S. Government's visibility into the
supply chain of goods entering the United States and explore
opportunities for CBP and PGAs to leverage verifiable information
regarding parties in the supply chain to improve risk assessment and
admissibility decisions.
For purposes of the GBI Test, ACE has been modified to permit test
participants to provide the following entity identifiers (GBIs)
associated with manufacturers, shippers, sellers, exporters,
distributors, and packagers of merchandise covered by entries that meet
the GBI Test criteria described in this notice: nine (9)-digit Data
Universal Numbering System (D-U-N-S[supreg]), thirteen (13)-digit
Global Location Number (GLN), twenty (20)-digit Legal Entity Identifier
(LEI), and twenty (20)-digit Altana ID identifier. These GBIs will be
provided to CBP, through ACE, in addition to other required entry data
(which may include the MID); any GBIs associated with the importer of
record itself need not be provided as part of this test. The GBIs
associated with the manufacturers, shippers and sellers will be
provided with the CBP Form 3461 (Entry/Immediate Delivery) data
transmission via the Automated Broker Interface (ABI) in ACE for
certain formal entries for consumption (``entry type 01'' in ACE) and
informal entries (``entry type 11'' in ACE). CBP will then access the
underlying data (GBI data) associated with the D-U-N-S[supreg], GLN,
LEI, and Altana ID, as set forth in the agreements that CBP has entered
into with D&B, GS1, GLEIF, and Altana, respectively, in order to
connect a specific entry and merchandise to a more complete picture of
those entities' ownership, structure, and affiliations, among other
information. D&B, GS1, GLEIF, and Altana are collectively referred to
as the IMCs.
Through the GBI Test, CBP aims to leverage existing entity
identifiers--the D-U-N-S[supreg], GLN, LEI, and Altana ID--to develop a
systematic, accurate, and efficient method for the trade to report, and
the U.S. Government to uniquely identify, legal business entities,
their different business locations and addresses, and their various
functions and supply chain roles. CBP will review whether these GBIs
ensure that CBP and PGAs receive standardized trade data in a
universally compatible trade language. Moreover, CBP will examine
whether the GBIs submitted to CBP can be easily verified, thus reducing
uncertainties that may be associated with the information related to
shipments of imported merchandise. CBP will also consider whether the
GBI Test may ultimately prove to be a more far-reaching, interagency
initiative, one that keeps with the vision and actualized promise of
the ``Single Window,'' by providing better visibility into the supply
chain for CBP and PGAs, thereby further reducing paper processing,
expediting cargo release, and enhancing the traceability of supply
chains. As it pursues this broader traceability vision, CBP will
continue to explore the merits of the identifiers mentioned in this
notice.
II. Authorization for the Test
The Customs Modernization Act authorizes the Commissioner of CBP to
conduct limited test programs or procedures designed to evaluate
planned components of the NCAP. The GBI Test is authorized pursuant to
19 CFR 101.9(b), which provides for the testing of NCAP programs or
procedures. See T.D. 95-21, 60 FR 14211 (March 16, 1995).
III. Conditions for the Test
The test is voluntary, and importers of record and licensed customs
brokers who wish to participate in the test must comply with all of the
conditions set forth below. The full effect of access to additional
entity-related data based on submission of the GBIs will be a key
evaluation metric of the test.
Participation in the test may provide certain opportunities to
participants while also allowing for a more efficient deployment of CBP
enforcement measures. First, participation may enable test participants
to better secure their supply chains by assisting the trade industry
with authenticating and verifying supply chain actors, helping
companies to manage risk in their supply chains, and assisting with
compliance with emerging requirements and mandates. Second,
participation may assist with determining how CBP and PGAs can leverage
global business identifiers to drive harmonized risk decision-making
across the U.S. Government--thereby enhancing predictability, lowering
costs, and creating opportunity for additional efficiencies for
compliant trade. Third, participation may provide an opportunity to
shape the future of GBI-enabled traceability. Participant feedback
shared throughout the GBI Test will inform the ongoing evolution of
GBI, including enhancements to better meet industry and government's
supply chain traceability needs. Lastly, participation may result in
the streamlined processing of legitimate trade. Identifiers may provide
CBP with more valuable data with which to assess and identify low-risk
and generally compliant imports, thereby better positioning CBP to
efficiently process lawful goods and focus resources toward preventing
violative goods from entering the United States. For example,
identifiers may be leveraged to demonstrate that a supply chain is low-
risk, to potentially reduce detentions for low-risk traders that have
provided CBP with extensive visibility into their supply chains, and to
resolve requests for additional information from CBP earlier on in the
importation process.
[[Page 38482]]
A. Obtaining Global Business Identifier (GBI) Numbers
Importers of record and licensed customs brokers who are interested
in participating in the test must arrange to obtain any combination of
the required D-U-N-S[supreg], GLN, LEI, and/or Altana ID entity
identifiers (the GBIs) from the manufacturers, shippers, and sellers of
merchandise that are intended to be covered by future entries that will
meet the conditions of the test. For purposes of providing the
information required for the test, the parties are defined as follows
for each covered entry:
<bullet> Manufacturer (or supplier)--The party that last
manufactures, assembles, produces, or grows the goods or the party
supplying the finished goods in the country from which the goods are
leaving for the United States.
<bullet> Shipper--The party that enters into a contract for
carriage with, and arranges for delivery of the goods to, a carrier or
transport intermediary for transportation to the United States.
<bullet> Seller--The last known party by whom the goods are sold or
agreed to be sold. If the goods are to be imported otherwise than in
pursuance of a purchase, the owner of the goods must be provided.
Optionally, test participants may also arrange to obtain the GBIs
for exporters, distributors, and packagers that will be associated with
these future entries and provide them to CBP on qualifying entries
covered by this test.
A party may obtain its own GBI by contacting Dun and Bradstreet
(D&B) at <a href="https://www.dnb.com/duns-number.html">https://www.dnb.com/duns-number.html</a>, regarding the D-U-N-
S[supreg]; GS1 at <a href="https://www.gs1.org/standards/id-keys/gln">https://www.gs1.org/standards/id-keys/gln</a>, regarding
the GLN; the Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) at
<a href="https://www.gleif.org/en/about-lei/get-an-lei-find-lei-issuing-organizations">https://www.gleif.org/en/about-lei/get-an-lei-find-lei-issuing-organizations</a>, regarding the LEI, and Altana Technologies USG Inc.
(Altana) at <a href="http://altana.ai">http://altana.ai</a>, regarding the Altana ID.
Once the manufacturers, shippers, and sellers (and, optionally, the
exporters, distributors, and packagers) have obtained their own GBIs
(the D-U-N-S[supreg], GLN, LEI, and Altana ID), these parties should
provide the resulting GBIs to the relevant importer of record or
licensed customs broker participating in the test. If these parties
experience any difficulty with obtaining any of the GBIs, the importer
of record or licensed customs broker seeking to participate in the test
should reach out to CBP by email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a7e0e5eee7c4c5d789c3cfd489c0c8d1"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="70373239301312005e1418035e171f06">[email protected]</span></a>. The test
participant is not required to obtain or submit GBIs pertaining to its
own entity.
Importers of record and licensed customs brokers are reminded that
they are responsible for obtaining any necessary permissions with
respect to providing to CBP the GBIs for manufacturers, shippers, and
sellers (and, optionally, for exporters, distributors, and packagers)
in the supply chains of the imported merchandise for which they file
the specified types of entries subject to the conditions of the test.
Therefore, prior to submitting their request to participate in the test
to CBP, as discussed below, importers of record and licensed customs
brokers should consult with these parties to ensure that these parties
are willing to grant any necessary permissions to share their GBIs
under the auspices of the test (which will also result in CBP's access
to the underlying GBI data associated with those GBIs, as described
above).
B. Submission of Request To Participate in the GBI Test
1. Importers of Record and Licensed Customs Brokers
The test is open to all importers of record and licensed customs
brokers provided that these parties have requested permission and are
approved by CBP to participate in the test. Importers of record and
licensed customs brokers seeking to participate in the test should send
an email to the GBI Inbox (<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#fdbabfb4bd9e9f8dd399958ed39a928b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="7c3b3e353c1f1e0c5218140f521b130a">[email protected]</span></a>) with the subject heading
``Request to Participate in the GBI Test.'' As part of their request to
participate, importers of record and licensed customs brokers must
agree to provide available GBIs with entry filings for merchandise that
is subject to the conditions of the test and state that they intend to
participate in the test. The request must include the potential
participant's filer code and evidence that it has obtained at least one
of the four identifiers (D-U-N-S[supreg], GLN, LEI, or Altana ID), or
is in the process of obtaining an identifier, from some combination of
the manufacturers, shippers, and sellers (and, optionally, exporters,
distributors, and packagers) of merchandise to be entered with a GBI(s)
provided pursuant to the test.
Test participants who are importers of record and do not self-file
must advise CBP in their request that they have authorized their
licensed customs broker(s) to file qualifying entries under the test on
their behalf. Test participants who are licensed customs brokers must
advise CBP that they have been authorized to file qualifying entries on
behalf of importers of record whose shipments meet the test criteria as
set forth below.
CBP began accepting requests to participate in the test on December
2, 2022, and will continue to accept requests until the test concludes.
Anyone providing incomplete information, or otherwise not meeting the
test requirements, will be notified by email, and may be given the
opportunity to resubmit the request to participate in the test.
2. Identity Management Companies (IMCs)
Identity and supply chain traceability companies interested in
becoming IMCs should send an email to the GBI Inbox (<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#8acdc8c3cae9e8faa4eee2f9a4ede5fc"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="7334313a331011035d171b005d141c05">[email protected]</span></a>)
with the subject heading ``IMC Request to Support the GBI Test.'' As
part of their request, interested companies must indicate whether they
have existing clientele, adequate systems capability to provide
identifier data to CBP, and the ability to enable regular and
consistent transmission of traceability information on a per entry
basis. IMCs must have the ability to capture and communicate changes
pertaining to embedded identifier data and must permit CBP to access
the version history associated with a supply chain party's identifier.
Should CBP determine to proceed in permitting a company to support the
GBI Test as an IMC, the company must enter into an agreement with CBP
regarding the provision of the GBI data for purposes of the GBI Test.
C. Approval of Importers of Record and Licensed Customs Brokers as GBI
Test Participants
A party who wishes to participate in this test is eligible to do so
as long as it is an importer of record or licensed customs broker who
files type 01 (formal) or type 11 (informal) entries of merchandise,
and that party obtains one or more GBIs from its supply chain partners.
After receipt of a request to participate in the test, CBP will notify,
by email, the importers of record and licensed customs brokers who are
approved for participation and inform them of the starting date of
their participation (noting that test participants may have different
starting dates). Test participants must provide the GBIs they have
received to CBP prior to the starting date of their participation
(participants will also provide the GBIs to CBP again with each
qualified entry filing meeting the requirements of the test). Test
participants are considered to be bound by the terms and conditions of
this notice and any subsequent modifications published in the Federal
Register.
[[Page 38483]]
D. Criteria for Qualifying Entries
1. Commodities Subject to the GBI Test
The test will be limited to type 01 and type 11 entries and is open
to merchandise classifiable in any subheading of the Harmonized Tariff
Schedule of the United States (HTSUS). Test participants are encouraged
to submit GBIs with all qualified entry filings that meet the
conditions of the test so that CBP has a fulsome data set to evaluate;
however, entries will not be rejected if GBIs are not submitted.
2. Countries of Origin Subject to the GBI Test
The test is open to merchandise from any country of origin.
E. Filing Entries With GBIs (Via ABI in ACE)
Test participants must coordinate with their software vendors or
technical teams to ensure that their electronic systems are capable of
transmitting the D-U-N-S[supreg], GLN, LEI, and Altana ID entity
identifiers to CBP. During this test, CBP will only accept electronic
submissions of GBIs via ABI in ACE with CBP Form 3461 (Entry/Immediate
Delivery) filings for type 01 and type 11 entries. Upon selection to
participate in the test, the test participants will be provided with
technical information and guidance regarding the transmission of the
GBIs to CBP with the CBP Form 3461 filings. The assigned ABI client
representatives of the test participants will provide additional
technical support, as needed. Pending programming updates, test
participants may include an Altana ID identifier in the field assigned
to any one of the three other GBIs. The D-U-N-S[supreg], GLN, and LEI
identifiers can continue to be inputted via their respective fields.
F. CBP Access to Underlying GBI Data Associated With GBIs
As part of the test, CBP has entered into agreements with D&B, GS1,
GLEIF, and Altana (the IMCs) for limited access to the underlying data
(GBI data) that is associated with the GBIs for the duration of the
test and for testing of CBP's automated systems.\1\ The data elements
for which CBP has entered into agreements with D&B, GS1, GLEIF, and
Altana may include, but are not limited to: (1) entity identifier
numbers, (2) official business titles; (3) names; (4) addresses; (5)
financial data; (6) trade names; (7) payment history; (8) economic
status; and (9) executive names. The data elements will be examined as
part of the test.
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\1\ As noted above, D&B, GS1, GLEIF, and Altana are IMCs. The
GBI data consists of data provided by the relevant entity to the
IMCs in order to generate a GBI--the D-U-N-S[supreg], GLN, LEI, or
Altana ID. GBIs allow CBP to link the underlying GBI data to
specific entities and entries.
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Consistent with the agreements, CBP may access GBI data, combine it
with CBP data, and evaluate the GBIs that the test participants provide
with an entry filing. The GBI data will assist CBP and PGAs in
determining the optimal identifiers (the GBIs) that will provide the
U.S. Government with sufficient entity data needed to support
identification, monitoring, and enforcement procedures to better equip
the U.S. Government to focus on high-risk shipments and bad actors.
CBP will process entries submitted with a GBI(s) pursuant to the
test by analyzing the GBIs submitted via ABI in ACE and ensuring that
the GBIs are submitted correctly. CBP will then evaluate the submitted
entries to assess the ease and cost of obtaining each of the GBIs,
evaluating each GBI to ensure that it is being submitted properly per
the technical requirements that will be set forth in CBP and Trade
Automated Interface Requirements (CATAIR), and ensuring that CBP is
able to validate that each GBI is accurate using the underlying GBI
data from the IMCs or otherwise known to CBP.
G. Partner Government Agencies (PGAs)
PGAs are important to the success of the test. Certain PGAs, which
may receive GBIs and GBI data and are intended as core test
beneficiaries, may use the GBIs and GBI data to improve risk management
and import compliance. This may result in smarter, more efficient, and
more effective compliance efforts. CBP will announce the PGAs who will
receive GBIs and GBI data pursuant to the test in a notice to be
published in the Federal Register at a later date.
H. Duration of Test
The test began on December 19, 2022, and will run through February
23, 2027, subject to any extensions, modifications or early termination
as announced by way of a notice to be published in the Federal
Register.
I. Misconduct Under the Test
Misconduct under the test may include, but is not limited to,
submitting false GBIs with an entry filing. CBP does not anticipate
shipment delays due to the failure to file or the erroneous filing of
GBIs. However, test participants are expected to follow all other
applicable regulations and requirements associated with the entry
process.
After an initial six-month period (or at such earlier time as CBP
deems appropriate), a test participant may be subject to discontinuance
from participation in this test for any of the following actions:
<bullet> Failure to follow the terms and conditions of this test;
<bullet> Failure to exercise due diligence in the execution of
participant obligations;
<bullet> Failure to abide by applicable laws and regulations that
have not been waived; or
<bullet> Failure to deposit duties or fees in a timely manner.
If the Director, Trade Modernization Division (TMOD), Trade Policy
and Programs (TPP), Office of Trade (OT), finds that there is a basis
to discontinue a participant's participation in the test, then CBP will
provide written notice, via email, proposing the discontinuance with a
description of the facts or conduct supporting the proposal. The test
participant will be offered the opportunity to respond to the
Director's proposal in writing within 10 business days of the date of
the written notice. The response must be sent to the Director, TMOD,
TPP, OT, by email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#ce898c878eadacbee0aaa6bde0a9a1b8"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="bff8fdf6ffdcddcf91dbd7cc91d8d0c9">[email protected]</span></a>, with a subject line reading
``Appeal--GBI Discontinuance.''
The Director, TMOD, will issue a final decision in writing on the
proposed action within 30 business days after receiving a timely filed
response from the test participant, unless such time is extended for
good cause. If no timely response is received, the proposed notice
becomes the final decision of CBP as of the date that the response
period expires. A proposed discontinuance of a test participant's
privileges will not take effect unless the response process under this
paragraph has been concluded with a written decision that is adverse to
the test participant, which will be provided via email.
J. Confidentiality
Data submitted and entered into ACE may include confidential
commercial or financial information which may be protected under the
Trade Secrets Act (18 U.S.C. 1905), the Freedom of Information Act (5
U.S.C. 552), and the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a). However, as stated in
previous notices, participation in this or any of the previous ACE
tests is not confidential and, therefore, upon receipt of a written
Freedom of Information Act request, the name(s) of an approved
participant(s) will be disclosed by CBP in accordance with 5 U.S.C.
552.
IV. Comments on the Test
All interested parties are invited to comment on any aspect of this
test at any time. CBP requests comments and
[[Page 38484]]
feedback on all aspects of this test, including the design, conduct and
implementation of the test, in order to determine whether to modify,
alter, expand, limit, continue, end, or fully implement this program.
Comments should be submitted via email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7e393c373e1d1c0e501a160d50191108"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="cd8a8f848daeafbde3a9a5bee3aaa2bb">[email protected]</span></a>, with the
subject line reading ``Comments/Questions on GBI Test.''
V. Paperwork Reduction Act
The Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3507(d))
requires that CBP consider the impact of paperwork and other
information collection burdens imposed on the public. An agency may not
conduct, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of
information unless the collection of information displays a valid
control number assigned by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
The collection of GBI information gathered under this test has been
approved by OMB in accordance with the requirements of the PRA under
OMB control number 1651-0141. In addition, the Entry/Immediate Delivery
Application and ACE Cargo Release (CBP Form 3461 and 3461 ALT)
collection of information, which collects the GBI when entry is made,
has been approved by OMB under OMB control number 1651-0024.
VI. Evaluation Criteria
The test is intended to evaluate the feasibility of utilizing GBIs
to address data gaps in the use of the MID, in addition to exploring
opportunities to enhance supply chain traceability and visibility more
broadly--including examining how CBP, PGAs, and the trade industry
might leverage GBIs to comply with growing supply chain traceability
needs. This will involve exploring the use of GBIs to accurately
identify legal business entities, their different business locations
and addresses, as well as their various functions and supply chain
roles, based upon information derived from the unique D-U-N-S[supreg],
GLN, LEI, and Altana ID entity identifiers. The test aims to assist CBP
in enforcing applicable laws and protecting the revenue, while
fulfilling trade modernization efforts by assisting the agency in
verifying the roles, functions and responsibilities that various
entities play in a given participant's importation of merchandise.
CBP's evaluation of the test, including the review of any comments
submitted to CBP during the duration of the test, will be ongoing with
a view to possible extension or expansion of the test.
CBP will evaluate whether the test: (1) improves foreign entity
data for efficient deployment of enforcement resources, trade
processing, risk management, and statistical integrity; (2) ensures
U.S. Government access to foreign entity data; (3) institutionalizes a
global, managed identification system; (4) implements a cost-effective
solution; (5) obtains stakeholder buy-in; and (6) facilitates legal
compliance across the U.S. Government. At the conclusion of the test,
an evaluation will be conducted to assess the efficacy of the
information received throughout the course of the test. The final
results of the evaluation will be published in the Federal Register as
required by section 101.9(b)(2) of the CBP regulations (19 CFR
101.9(b)(2)).
Should the GBI Test be successful and ultimately be codified under
the CBP regulations, CBP anticipates that this data would greatly
enhance ongoing trade entity identification and resolution, reduce
risk, and improve compliance operations. CBP would also anticipate
greater supply chain visibility and verified, validated information on
legal entities, which will support better decision-making during
customs clearance processes.
Susan S. Thomas,
Acting Executive Assistant Commissioner, Office of Trade.
[FR Doc. 2025-15060 Filed 8-7-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111-14-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on August 8, 2025.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.