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Fact Sheet
February 2008
Advance Commercial Information
The Advance Commercial Information (ACI) program enables the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to better protect Canadian society by obtaining the right information at the right time to make informed decisions about whether to examine shipments. The ACI program is introducing more effective risk management processes and tools for unknown and high-risk shipments (non-Customs Self Assessment or Free and Secure Trade shipments, to enhance the CBSA’s ability to detect contraband and threats to Canadians’ health, safety and security.
To support the risk assessment process, the CBSA requires certain cargo, conveyance and importer data before the goods arrive in Canada. The CBSA uses a risk management approach, with sophisticated selectivity and targeting capabilities, to detect high-risk shipments. At the same time, legitimate low-risk shipments are cleared more quickly.
The ACI program is being delivered in phases. In accordance with the Canada-U.S. Smart Border Declaration, the focus of ACI Phase 1 was on marine cargo and conveyance information. Since April 19, 2004, marine carriers and freight forwarders, when applicable, have been required to electronically transmit marine cargo data to the CBSA 24 hours prior to the loading of the cargo in the foreign port. The CBSA risk assesses the data and determines whether examinations are required in foreign ports to address any potential security threats. Examinations for other reasons are conducted at the first point of arrival in Canada.
The implementation of Phase 2 of the ACI program was completed on July 26, 2006. Phase 2 requires all air carriers and freight forwarders, when applicable, to electronically transmit conveyance, cargo and supplementary cargo data to the CBSA four hours prior to arrival in Canada. If the flight is less than four hours in duration, conveyance, cargo and supplementary cargo data must be reported at the time of departure from the foreign port.
Subsequent phases of the ACI program will require the transmission of advance electronic cargo and conveyance information from carriers for all highway and rail shipments. In addition, the transmission of advance electronic secondary data will be required from freight forwarders and the transmission of advance electronic importer data will be required from importers or their brokers.
Phase 3 of the ACI program, known as eManifest, is now in its beginning stages. In this phase, the same reporting requirements that were implemented for carriers and freight forwarders in the air and marine modes of transportation in phases 1 and 2 will be implemented for carriers in the highway and rail modes of transportation. Given the time sensitivity of the highway and rail environments, it will be required that electronic transmissions be provided to the CBSA one hour prior to the arrival of the cargo at the border.
In addition to the new requirements for land trade chain partners, eManifest will enhance the capability of the electronic reporting system for air and marine trade chain partners. Importers and freight forwarders in the air and marine modes of transportation who were not included in phases 1 and 2 of the ACI program will be required to submit shipment information electronically before its arrival in Canada.