Customs Notice 17-22, Interim Process for Electronic House Bills

Submitted by admin on Mon, 07/31/2017 - 08:38

1. This notice provides new information regarding the requirements for electronic house bills during the interim voluntary period as indicated in Customs Notice 17-15, Changes to the Implementation Timeline for Electronic House Bills.

2. The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has developed an interim process to address current security and program integrity concerns until systems enhancements for electronic house bill requirements and functionality are deployed. These system enhancements are necessary to fully support the eManifest program and to allow freight forwarders to comply with all reporting requirements.

3. As of August 14th, 2017 and for the duration of the interim period outlined in Customs Notice 17-15, the option of allowing single shipments (back to back shipments) using the electronic house bills to release goods from primary sufferance warehouses will be suspended. Prior to this date the CBSA will allow freight forwarders to adjust and make any necessary processing changes, but we encourage freight forwarders to cease transmitting electronic house bills for back to back shipments destined to a primary warehouse as soon as possible.

4. Freight forwarders must implement the following for import or in bond consolidated shipments including back to back shipments:

  • a. All electronically transmitted house bills must be destined to a CW warehouse. The release request must quote the lowest level house bill.
  • b. Release requests for back to back shipments clearing from a primary warehouse must be on the primary cargo control number and shipments will be released on the primary cargo control number. Pre-arrival / pre-load ACI S10 supplementary reports will be required for air and marine back to back shipments.
  • c. If electronic house bills are not transmitted, the freight forwarder must present paper house bills to the CBSA post arrival for validation for all consolidated house bills. The release request must quote the lowest level paper house bills destined to a CW (secondary) warehouse. Pre-arrival / pre-load ACI S10 supplementary reports will be required for air and marine consolidated house bills.

5. The following are consolidated shipment scenarios which require one or more house bills. If electronic house bill(s) are transmitted, the destination sublocation code on the house bill(s) must be an approved deconsolidation type warehouse as per Memorandum D4-1-4, Customs Sufferance Warehouses.

  • a. Multi-shipment consolidations - A number of separate shipments grouped together by a consolidator or freight forwarder and shipped to an agent or a freight forwarder as one shipment under one bill of lading.
  • b. Single shipments (back to back) - Shipments that involve both a freight forwarder and a primary carrier, but consist of only one shipment.
  • c. Buyer's Consolidations – Full container loads (FCL) that involve multiple shipments grouped together on multiple house bills of lading being delivered to one importer/consignee.

6. Timeframes for the transmission of supplementary reports are the same timeframes for air and marine cargo. Supplementary reports may be transmitted by either the primary carrier or the freight forwarder.

7. Freight forwarders should continue to transmit electronic house bills for consolidated shipments destined to a CW warehouse.

8. Pre-arrival supplementary data reports will continue to be required for consolidated freight remaining on board (FROB) shipments in the air and marine modes.

9. The existing exemption for consolidated shipments transiting Canada as described in Customs Notice 16-23 will remain in effect during the voluntary period.

10. These interim processes will only be in place until a functional systems solution is in place. For more information on the voluntary period, please refer to Customs Notice 17-15.

11. The CBSA urges freight forwarders to register for electronic notices, which includes the Deconsolidation Notice.  Clients may refer to Chapter 11 of the ECCRD or contact the TCCU for more information. Clients may contact the TCCU by email at tccu-ustcc@cbsa-asfc.gc.ca or by calling 1-888-957-7224 and selecting Option 1.

12. An electronic house bill (ehouse bill) client support service is available to assist freight forwarders and facilitate their shipments into Canada. Freight forwarders can use this service to ask ehouse bill questions, resolve related operational issues, and learn about freight forwarder requirements.

13. For email support on eManifest policy and processes, contact the eManifest Help Desk at emanifest-manifestelectronique@cbsa-asfc.gc.ca.

14. For additional information regarding the pre-arrival and reporting requirements for freight forwarders, please see the revised departmental Memoranda D3-3-1, Freight Forwarder Pre-Arrival and Reporting Requirements.

15. For additional information regarding eManifest requirements clients may visit the CBSA website.

This notice was originally posted on 11 July 2017 on the CBSA website.