The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has released its strategic plan, "Securing the Global Supply Chain," for the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT).
The plan calls for verification that the security measures called for in the program have been carried out by C-TPAT members and that these receive the expedited processing benefits promised under the initiative.
Launched in November 2001, C-TPAT now includes more than 7,400 importers, customs brokers, terminal operators, carriers and foreign manufacturers.
According to a statement by CBP Commissioner Robert C. Bonner, the plan is designed to:
"improve security of a significant percentage of shipments" coming into the United States
provide benefits and incentives to private industry that "meet or exceed" C-TPAT's best practices and supply chain security criteria, and
focus the inspectional capabilities and resources of CBP on "higher risk" shipments.
The full report can be viewed at: http://www.customs.gov/linkhandler/cgov/import/commercial_enforcement/ctpat/ctpat_strategicplan.ctt/ctpat_strategicplan.pdf
