CSMS 41052241·Operational·December 19, 2019·View on csms.cbp.gov ↗

Update on New Minimum Security Criteria (MSC) for Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) Members

Plain-English explanation

CSMS 41052241 is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Cargo Systems Messaging Service bulletin (operational), published on December 19, 2019. It carries the official CBP guidance brokers and importers must follow for the topic — "Update on New Minimum Security Criteria (MSC) for Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) Members". CSMS messages are the operational layer between Commerce determinations and at-the-border collections: when Commerce publishes a new rate, scope ruling, or instruction, CBP turns it into a CSMS that ACE/ACS systems and brokers act on.

Message body

Full text as published by U.S. Customs and Border Protection

CSMS #41052241 - Update on New Minimum Security Criteria (MSC) for Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) Members U.S. Customs and Border Protection sent this bulletin at 12/19/2019 03:00 PM EST Cargo Systems Messaging Service CSMS #41052241 - Update on New Minimum Security Criteria (MSC) for Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) Members Dear CTPAT member: As we get closer to the end of the year, we thought we would provide you with an update on the new Minimum Security Criteria (MSC), including program expectations from its members and the work that the program is conducting in order to update the security profile in the CTPAT portal to reflect the new MSC. Four key issues to highlight: 1. The final versions of the new MSC were uploaded to the CTPAT portal on Nov. 27, 2019. Please go to the “Public Documents” section of the portal, select “Public Library,” and under “Type,” select “Guide.” These versions and the versions published in the portal back in May of this year are very similar. Once the new CTPAT website is finalized, the new MSC will be uploaded there as well. The main difference between the early “Booklet” versions of the MSC (May 2019) and the new MSC Documents (Nov. 2019) is the addition of two new criteria that apply to all entities: the first one is that members must have a code of conduct in place (ID Number 11.5), and the second is that members must initiate their own internal investigation of a security breach as soon as they are aware of the incident (ID Number 7.37). Additional criteria were developed for the sea carrier members. The MSC for highway carriers, long-haul highway carriers, and foreign manufacturers has been or will be translated into both Spanish and French. Some of the other criteria will also be translated into other foreign languages, including Chinese and Vietnamese. Once the translations have been conducted, they will be posted in both the portal and the CBP website. 2. All CTPAT members will need to comply with the new requirements by January 2020. Since members are on a four-year validation cycle, most members will not undergo a revalidation in 2020 – but all members need to comply with the new requirements by January 2020. 3. The CTPAT portal and its security profile – The CTPAT portal is being updated so that the future security profile reflects the new MSC. We expect the new security profile to be ready by June 1, 2020. In the meantime, the program is putting together Excel-based security profiles for each business entity eligible for CTPAT. These Excel-based files will be made available to the members on Dec. 20, 2019. Members will need to familiarize themselves with the security profile questions. Once the new security profile in the portal has been updated, members will need to update their security profiles in the portal. As a result of this work, members should be receiving several alerts from the program related to the CTPAT portal. The first alert to be soon is that the security profile will be unavailable from March 1– June 1, 2020. 4. Resources – A lot of resources have been uploaded to the CTPAT portal in the “Public Documents/Public Library” section. Please make use of these resources as you implement the new MSC. We have accomplished a lot in the last few years and we thank you for your support and patience. We hope you have a wonderful holiday season and we wish you the best in 2020! CTPAT Team https://www.cbp.gov/border-security/ports-entry/cargo-security/ctpat/ctpat-msc-announcements CTPAT Announcemnt 2019.pdf Update your subscriptions, modify your password or e-mail address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page . You will need to use your e-mail address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please contact subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com . This service is provided to you at no charge by U.S. Customs and Border Protection . Privacy Policy | GovDelivery is providing this information on behalf of U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and may not use the information for any other purposes. Powered by Privacy Policy | Cookie Statement | Help

Frequently asked questions

What is CSMS 41052241?

CSMS 41052241 is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Cargo Systems Messaging Service bulletin titled "Update on New Minimum Security Criteria (MSC) for Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) Members". CSMS bulletins are the operational instructions CBP issues to brokers, importers, and ACE filers covering rate changes, system updates, scope guidance, and other day-to-day customs-operations changes.

When was CSMS 41052241 published?

CBP published CSMS 41052241 on December 19, 2019. The bulletin's instructions are typically operative as of the publication date unless the body specifies a different effective date.

Is the CBP CSMS the legally binding instruction?

Yes — for at-the-border filing and entry collection. CSMS messages translate Commerce's Federal Register determinations into operational CBP instructions that ACE/ACS systems and brokers execute. The Federal Register notice is the underlying legal authority; the CSMS is the operational implementation. Both should be read together when reconciling a rate or scope change.

Learn more

Tandom guides relevant to CBP CSMS messages

Subscribe to and triage CBP CSMS messages

How to subscribe to CBP Cargo Systems Messaging Service and triage the messages that change broker filing behavior, without losing the ones that matter.

Open resource

Real-time alerts when a CSMS message changes a duty rate

Set up alerts when a CBP CSMS message changes a duty rate on an HTS code you depend on. Built for brokers, forwarders, and importer compliance teams.