CBP's latest tech demonstrations showcase automated verification for chemicals, e-commerce, and perishable goods, streamlining customs processes.
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| CBP US team is hard at work conducting security examinations. File Photo courtesy: X/CBP |
Washington, USA — February 11, 2025:
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has successfully demonstrated the use of unique identifier technology to enhance supply chain transparency and streamline regulatory processes. The recent tests mark a significant advancement in the agency’s efforts to improve trade security, efficiency, and accountability.
As part of its global interoperability standards initiative, CBP showcased how automated verification of digital credentials can reduce administrative burdens and errors for businesses, regulatory agencies, and CBP itself. The demonstrations included collaboration with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to expedite the exchange of pre-arrival information for perishable goods, potentially reducing food waste and improving delivery times for American consumers.
CBP also conducted tests focused on e-commerce and regulatory compliance. One demonstration illustrated how unique identifiers could help agencies validate registered chemicals, such as pesticides, before they reach U.S. soil. Another, in partnership with FedEx and a major American sporting goods brand, explored how encrypted credentials could protect intellectual property and consumer safety by verifying product authenticity.
Additionally, CBP worked with companies like Twin Eagle, Livingston International, and Avista to test the tracking of natural gas imports at the molecular level, further proving the system’s ability to enhance supply chain visibility.
AnnMarie R. Highsmith, CBP’s Executive Assistant Commissioner for Trade, emphasized the importance of these innovations, “Now, using advances in global interoperability standards, we are taking our systems to the next level, creating a more efficient and transparent supply chain.”
These technology demonstrations, conducted in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate and private sector participants, align with CBP’s broader modernization efforts under its 21st Century Customs Framework. The results will inform future developments in the agency’s Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) 2.0 system, aimed at strengthening trade security and efficiency.