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 Acting Commissioner Spero Co-Chairs the Commercial Operations Advisory Committee (COAC)
(02/09/2006)U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Acting Commissioner Deborah Spero co-chaired the Commercial Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) in Washington, DC. Ms. Spero joined Department of the Treasury Deputy Assistant Secretary Timothy Skud and members of the COAC at the quarterly meeting. The COAC is a 20-member advisory council that represents importers, carriers, customs brokers and port authorities. Its purpose is to provide advice to the Departments of the Treasury and Homeland Security on trade compliance and facilitation, the securing of the supply chain and other trade and security issues of mutual concern."Since the 1980s when COAC was created, the U.S. Customs Service, and later CBP, have worked to improve commercial trade operations by leveraging the strengths of the private sector on customs-related commercial activities," said Ms. Spero during her remarks. "Together, we have forged strong partnerships and advised the Secretaries of Treasury and Homeland Security on a number of important issues related to government-wide trade security and facilitation operations."During the meeting, COAC members discussed the World Customs Organization’s Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade, the Homeland Security Presidential Directive 13, the Security and Prosperity Partnership, the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism and the Automated Commercial Environment. Also representing CBP were Office of Field Operations Assistant Commissioner Jayson Ahern, Office of International Affairs Assistant Commissioner Keith Thompson, Acting Director of the Office of Policy and Planning Michael Mullen, and Acting Director of the Office of Trade Relations Lawrence Rosenzweig. Senior Policy Advisor James Patton and Senior Counsel for Customs and Trade Lou Brenner represented the Department of Homeland Security. |
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