CBP and Customs Administrations Agree on Strengthening Supply Chain Security

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) signed Monday a Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) with the Customs Administrations of Guatemala and Colombia at the Trade Facilitation and Cargo Summit.

”By cooperating with our regional partners theough MRAs and other bilateral arrangements, we are able to create a unified and sustainable security posture,” said Pete Flores, Executive Assistant Commissioner for CBP Field Operations. “As a result, we are furthering our efforts to facilitate trade and enhance our economic security mission.”

Hosted by Debbie Seguin, Assistant Commissioner for International Affairs, guests included Marco Livio Diaz Reyes, Superintendent of Guatemala’s Superintendencia de Administracion Tributaria, and Ingrid Magnolia Diaz Rincon, Director for the Direccion de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales de Colombia.

MRAs are bilateral understandings between two customs administrations providing a platform for the exchange of membership information and recognizes the compatibility of the respective supply chain security program.  

CBP reached this MRA after the customs administrations of Guatemala and Colombia had agreed on a Joint Work Plan (JWP) during 2022 Trade Facilitation and Cargo Security Summit, held in Anaheim, California.  The JWP is a document that lays out the path towards MRAs between the two customs administrations’ Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) programs. A JWP shows commitment from both programs, requires high level support, and lays out detailed steps towards MRA.

The document, referred to as an “arrangement,” indicate the security requirements or standards of the foreign industry partnership program, as well as its verification procedures, are the same or like those of the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) programme.