. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  TN/TF/W/144/Rev.2 
20 February 2008 
 (08-0708) 
Negotiating Group on Trade Facilitation Original:   English 
  
 
COMMUNICATION FROM THE UNITED STATES 
 
Revision
 
 
 
 The following communication, dated 15 February 2008, is being circulated at the request of 
the Delegation of the United States.  
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REVISED DRAFT TEXT ON EXPEDITED SHIPMENTS 
 
In previous communications (TN/TF/W/15, 4 February 2005; TN/TF/W/91, 5 April 2006; 
TN/TF/W/144, 21 May 2007; and TN/TF/W/144.Rev.1,  20 July 2007) the United States submitted a 
proposal to "provide specific expedited procedures for expedited shipments".  The following revised 
draft text, aimed at reflecting the comments and concerns expressed by Members, is submitted for 
renewed consideration by the Negotiating Group. 
 
Textual Proposal
: 
 
Customs Procedures for Expedited Shipments  
 
1. Each Member shall adopt or maintain custom s procedures allowing 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 document covering all goods cont ained in an expedited shipment; 
 
 (c) to the extent possible, provide for th e release of expedited shipments based on the 
single document; 
 
(d) provide for expedited shipments to be released under normal circumstances within 
3 hours after the necessary customs docume nts have been submitted, provided the 
shipment has arrived; 
 
(e) apply to expedited shipments 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, 
or some other appropriate instrument, c overing the ultimate payment of the customs TN/TF/W/144/Rev.2 
Page 2  
 
  duties, taxes, and fees in connection with the importation of the expedited shipment;]
1 
and 
 
(g) provide for a de minimis  procedure  under which customs duties and taxes will not be 
assessed on an expedited shipment valued under a specified value. 
 
2. 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 information from the single document 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 customs procedures in paragraph 1. 
 3. 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. 
 Single document  means a consolidated document or record (including in electronic form) issued by 
an expedited shipment provider which contains the following identifying information 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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1  Note to the reader:   This language may be dropped from the proposed article should it be adequately 
addressed in the context of the proposal on  release and clearance (TN/TF/W/136/Rev.1).