At the AAEI Conference, the topic of one face at the border was discussed in the context of an update. The efforts of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) take place through the Border Interagency Executive Council. Right now, the Council is co-chaired by CBP (Asst. Comm. Al Gina) and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (Director, Import Surveillance Division Carol Cave). The charter agencies are:
- Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
- Consumer Product Safety Commission
- Customs and Border Protection
- Environmental Protection Agency
- Food and Drug Administration
- Food Safety Inspection Service
- Immigration and Customs Enforcement
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- National Marine Fisheries Service
The three “pillars” of the BIEC were described as information sharing across agencies, the expansion of public-private partnerships and automation. The BIEC continues to work towards a single window for interface with the trade (ITDS) and common messages.