The newly formed organization is called the North American Customs Brokers Alliance (NACBA). It defines its mission in three statements.
• To work toward the specification, standardization and streamlining of datasets in existing and novel commercial data channels.
• To develop strategies and methods to defend and protect the supply chain.
• To increase the value added by the customs brokerage community.
The three brokerage organizations are Mexico’s Confederacion de Asociaciones de Agentes Aduanales de la Republica Mexicana (CAAAREM), Canada’s Canadian Society of Customs Brokers (CSCB) the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America in the U.S.
First task the NACBA has set for itself is to present a common position on Advance Commercial Information (ACI) requirements and procedures. All three governments are presently working on advance electronic reporting for cross-border shipments. The Alliance looks to present its agreed-upon ideas by the end of the year.