Review of Customs Regulations

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Customs Service

19 CFR Chapter I

Review of Customs Regulations

AGENCY: U.S. Customs Service, Department of the Treasury.

ACTION: Review of regulations.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the President directing each agency to conduct a

page-by-page review of all of each agency's regulations now in force to

eliminate or revise those that are outdated or otherwise in need of

reform, this document requests that the public assist Customs to

identify regulations that could be modified or eliminated.

DATES: Responses should be submitted on or before April 25, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Responses (preferably in triplicate) shall be addressed to

the Chief, Regulations Branch, U.S. Customs Service, Franklin Court,

1301 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20229.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Harold Singer, Regulations Branch,

202-482-6930.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

In a memorandum for Heads of Departments and Agencies signed by the

President on March 4, 1995, on the subject of the Regulatory

Reinvention Initiative, President Clinton directed each agency, as one

of four steps which are an integral part of our ongoing Regulatory

Reform Initiative, to conduct a page-by-page review of its regulations

now in force and eliminate or revise those that are outdated or

otherwise in need of reform. The President requests a report of

regulations planned to be eliminated or modified by June 1, 1995. The

review should include careful consideration of at least the following

issues:

(1) Is this regulation obsolete?

(2) Could its intended goal be achieved in more efficient, less

intrusive ways?

(3) Are there better private sector alternatives, such as market

mechanisms that can better achieve the public good envisioned by the

regulation?

(4) Could private business, setting its own standards and being

subject to public accountability, do the job as well?

(5) Could the States or local governments do the job, making

Federal regulation unnecessary?

Customs Request for Public Input

As most of Customs customers and stakeholders are aware, Customs is

in the midst of its own reorganization and business process

improvement. Since the passage of the Customs Modernization Act (the

popular name for Title VI of the North American Free Trade Agreement

Implementation Act), which allows Customs to streamline and modernize

its operations, Customs has been holding public meetings to determine

how its business processes should be revised and what revision of its

regulations are necessary to best accomplish its mission and serve the

international trade community efficiently and effectively. Obsolete

regulations are soon to be eliminated as Customs is targeting close to

90 per cent of its regulations for modification. As an extension of the

process of getting public input regarding Customs business process

improvement and implementation of the Customs Modernization Act, and

consistent with the President's Regulatory Reinvention Initiative,

Customs is asking the public to assist the agency in identifying any

sections of the Customs Regulations that are outdated or in need of

reform.

Please bear in mind in responding to this request for input that

Customs is not seeking comments in this document regarding specific

draft proposals for regulatory changes to implement the Customs

Modernization Act or concept papers concerning Customs processes that

are being changed pursuant to the Customs Modernization Act that have

been publicly discussed and/or released. Persons who have commented on

specific Customs Modernization draft proposals or concept papers need

not further respond to this request for suggested regulatory changes.

Public meetings will continue to be held and draft proposals will

continue to be posted on the Customs Electronic Bulletin Board

soliciting public input on specific Customs Modernization draft

proposals and concept papers. What Customs is looking for in this

exercise are particular sections of the Customs Regulations that are

believed to be outdated or too burdensome, and that should be

eliminated or modified, regardless of how Customs ultimately revises

its regulatory procedures pursuant to the Customs Modernization Act.

Customs has prepared the attached outline for use by members of the

public who wish to offer suggestions on those Customs regulations which

they believe can be eliminated or modified. Recommendations for

modification or repeal should be as specific as possible. The

information you submit is crucial to any decision to amend or repeal

regulations and is necessary to be provided due to the time constraints

involved in the program. The more detailed the information Customs

receives, the easier it will be for Customs to evaluate the suggestion.

Responses should be submitted no later than April 25, 1995.

Comments should be sent directly to: Chief, Regulations Branch, U.S.

Customs Service, Franklin Court, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW.,

Washington, D.C. 20229.

Outline for Public Input

(1) What is the subject of the regulations you are recommending be

modified or repealed?

(2) Which sections in particular are you recommending be modified

or repealed?

(3) What is the exact nature of your suggestion as how the

regulations can be amended or repealed? If you are recommending an

amendment, please specify the precise nature of the change.

(4) As far as you are aware, is Customs already in the process of

developing an amendment to these regulations based on authority granted

to the agency by the Customs Modernization Act?

(5) What is the expected benefit in your suggested modification or

repeal? Specify savings in time and/or money and whether to Customs,

the public, or both. Quantify, if possible.

Dated: April 11, 1995.

George J. Weise,

Commissioner of Customs.

[FR Doc. 95-9214 Filed 4-12-95; 8:45 am]

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