U.S. Customs and Border Protection released its e-commerce strategy that addresses the growing volume of imported small packages and the challenges and opportunities it presents for the U.S. economy and security. The e-commerce strategy strengthens CBP’s ability to protect health and safety while maintaining a strong trade facilitation posture in e-commerce.
CBP defines e-commerce as high-volume, low-value shipments purchased via electronic means. This growth in volume has increased the opportunity for illicit and dangerous products to cross our borders, placing Americans’ health and safety at risk and creating new risks that can compromise U.S. intellectual property rights.
“E-commerce is growing exponentially as consumers are increasingly enabled to complete purchases online. CBP must adapt and increase its ability to address the facilitation and enforcement challenges it creates,” said Acting Commissioner Kevin McAleenan. “CBP’s first e-commerce strategy positions CBP to address the various complexities, opportunities, and threats resulting from this global shift in trade to an e-commerce platform.”
This strategy highlights private industry and foreign governments as key stakeholders and resources in CBP’s continuous assessment of the e-commerce environment and includes efforts to educate the public and trade community to ensure they understand their responsibilities as importers to comply with customs regulations. The strategy also emphasizes enforcement initiatives, such as streamlining enforcement processes affected by increasing e-commerce volumes, leveraging enforcement partnerships with partner government agencies and foreign governments, and improving data collection from CBP targeting systems and field personnel.
Read more at CBP. Read the e-commerce strategy plan here.
