TO :	All Trade Compliance Process Owners All ABI Client Representatives All Other Interested Parties
FROM :	Director, Trade Compliance Branch Chief, Alcohol Import/Export
SUBJECT:	ATF Alcoholic Beverage Documentation Requirements Under the Remote Location Filing Prototypes and Electronic Invoice Program

Background:
The Remote Location Filing Prototype (RLF) and Electronic Invoice Program (EIP) are two electronic entry programs offered by Customs. Currently the programs are limited to formal (01) and informal (11) entry types, and require that the entry, entry summary, payment, and invoice data (when requested by Customs) be filed electronically.

When entered merchandise falls under the importation require-ments of another government agency, additional forms are often required. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) requires that importers of alcoholic beverages provide documentation of their Basic Permit to import alcohol, as well as Certificates of Label Approval, Age, Origin and/or Identity.

In the spirit of the Mod Act, Customs has been striving to accept completely electronic entry packages for as many commodities as possible. For electronic entries filed under the RLF and EIP programs, U.S. Customs will now accept the electronic trans- mission of the certification, approval and permit numbers as meeting the ATF entry requirements for alcoholic beverages.

Entries filed in paper will continue to follow current port policy.

Action:
RLF and EIP filers will use the automation available in the electronic invoice, to certify they have the required ATF documentation on file and Customs will be able to review the documentation as needed.

At the time of entry, EIP and RLF filers will transmit the following codes with the associated ATF number in the Related Document Identifier field of the C19 Record. This is also described in the Customs and Trade Automated Interface Requirements (CATAIR), Appendix B and page AII-27.

C41: Alcoholic Beverages: Basic Permit to import alcohol from ATF
C42: Alcoholic Beverages: Certificate of Label Approval (COLA)
C43: Alcoholic Beverages: Certificates of Age, Origin, Identity (Certain)