. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  TN/TF/W/144/Rev.1 
18 July 2007 
 
 (07-3047) 
Negotiating Group on Trade Facilitation Original:   English 
  
 
COMMUNICATION FROM THE UNITED STATES 
 
Revision
 
 
 
 The following communication, dated 16 July 2007, is being circulated at the request of the 
Delegation of the United States.  
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REVISED DRAFT TEXT ON EXPEDITED SHIPMENTS 
  
1. In previous communications (TN/TF/W/15, 4 Fe bruary 2005;  TN/TF/W/91, 5 April 2006;  
and TN/TF/W/144, 21 May 2007) the United Stat es submitted a proposal to "provide specific 
expedited procedures for expedited shipments".  Th e following revised draft text, aimed at reflecting 
the comments and concerns expressed by Member s during the 7-8 June 2007 NGTF meeting, is 
submitted for renewed considera tion by the Negotiating Group. 
 
Textual Proposal:
 
 Customs Procedures for Expedited Shipments
 
 2. Each Member shall adopt or maintain separa te customs procedures for expedited shipments 
while maintaining customs control and selection.  These procedures shall:  
(a) allow for the submission and processing, including through electronic means, of 
information necessary for the release of an e xpedited shipment prior to the arrival of 
the expedited shipment; 
 
(b) allow for the submission and processing, in cluding through electronic means, of a 
single manifest covering all goods c ontained in an expedited shipment; 
  (c) to the extent possible, provide for th e release of expedited shipments based on the 
manifest; 
 
(d) provide for expedited shipments to be re leased within 1 hour after the necessary 
customs documents have been submitted , provided the shipment has arrived; 
 
(e) apply without regard to weight or customs value;  
 
(f) allow for the release of expedited shipment s before and without prejudice to the final 
determination of the applicable customs du ties, taxes, and fees owed, if, where so 
required, the importer provides sufficient guara ntee in the form of a surety, a deposit, TN/TF/W/144/Rev.1 
Page 2  
 
  or some other appropriate instrument, c overing the ultimate payment of the customs 
duties, taxes, and fees in connection with the importation of the expedited shipment; 
and 
 
(g) provide that no customs duties or taxes will be assessed on an expedited shipment 
valued at US$200 or less. 
 3. A Member may require that an expedited sh ipment provider shall, as a condition for the 
application of the procedures described in paragraph 1 to its expedited shipments:  
 
(a) provide adequate infrastructure to allow fo r the processing of the expedited shipment; 
 
(b) submit specified manifest information in advance of the arrival of an expedited 
shipment;  and 
 
(c) be assessed fees limited in amount to the approximate cost of services rendered in 
providing the separate customs procedures in paragraph 1. 
 4. Nothing in these provisions shall prevent a Me mber from obtaining additional information, 
conducting screenings, or examining goods, where neces sary to maintain appropriate border control, 
including through the use of systems that distinguish between low-risk and high-risk goods. 
 
Definitions
 
 Expedited shipments means goods designated as such by an expedited shipment provider.   
 
Expedited shipment provider means a person that: 
  (a) maintains a high-degree of control over expedited shipments through the use of 
internal security, logistics, and tracking technology; 
  (b) tracks and controls expedited shipments at every point during their conveyance;  and  
 
 (c) maintains the capacity for the expedited shipment provider, sender and recipient to 
locate expedited shipments at any point in  their conveyance and to obtain current 
information on the estimated delivery time of those shipments. 
 
Manifest  means a consolidated document or record issu ed by an expedited shipment provider which 
contains the following identifying informati on about each of the goods being shipped: 
 (1)  the country of origin of the goods, if known;  (2)  the shipper’s name and address;  (3)  the ultimate consignee’s name and address;  
(4)  a specific description of the goods;  
(5)  the quantity of the goods;  (6)  the shipping weight; (7)  the value of the goods;  and (8)  an identifier or tracking number unique to a particular expedited shipment. 
 
 
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