UNITED24 - Make a charitable donation in support of Ukraine!

Homeland Security

Washington File

04 April 2003

U.S., Canada Reach Agreement on Rail Shipments Security

(Agreement to enhance border security and ensure secure rail access) (730)
On April 3, U.S. and Canadian customs agencies and Canada's two major
railways signed a declaration of principles to further enhance
security at the Canada-U.S. border and to ensure Canada's secure rail
access to the United States, according to a U.S. Customs Service press
release.
The joint government-industry initiative follows months of discussion
on enhancing security of U.S.-bound rail shipments without impeding
trade flows. The declaration outlines principles for targeting,
screening and examining rail shipments by the two Canadian carriers,
Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway, to the United
States. It also includes guidelines for collecting electronic
manifests and installing imaging and radiation detection equipment.
"The signing of the declaration of principles shows how the government
and the private sector can work in partnership to build a smarter
border by enhancing security and facilitating trade," said U.S.
Customs Commissioner Robert C. Bonner.
Following is the text of the Customs Service press release:
(begin text)
U.S. CUSTOMS SERVICE
Washington, D.C.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 3, 2003
U.S. and Canadian Customs Agencies, and Canada's Two Largest Railways
Reach Agreement to Strengthen Security Measures for Trans-Border Rail
Shipments
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- United States and Canadian customs agencies and
Canada's two major railways today announced they have signed a
declaration of principles to further enhance security at the
Canada-U.S. border and to ensure secure rail access to the U.S.
The joint government-industry initiative is the culmination of several
months of discussion about ways to enhance the security of U.S.-bound
rail shipments while ensuring trade continues to flow between the two
countries. These discussions were part of the larger process of
implementing the Smart Border Declaration adopted by Canada and the
United States in December 2001.
The declaration of principles, signed by the U.S. Bureau of Customs
and Border Protection (CBP), Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (CCRA),
Canadian National Railway (CN) and Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR),
outlines the principles for targeting, screening and examining rail
shipments transported by the two Canadian carriers into the United
States from Canada. It includes guidelines for collecting advanced
electronic manifest information and installing imaging and radiation
detection equipment at seven CN and CPR border crossings.
"The signing of the declaration of principles shows how the government
and the private sector can work in partnership to build a smarter
border by enhancing security and facilitating trade," said Robert C.
Bonner, Commissioner of the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection.
"The rail security program we have developed is a vital component of
our strategy to keep America and the American people safe, as well as
to facilitate the flow of trade between Canada and the United States."
"The operating procedures which underpin this agreement will stress
the importance of focusing enforcement efforts on high-risk
containers, and that is clearly one of the key principles of the Smart
Border Declaration," said Rob Wright, Commissioner of the Canada
Customs and Revenue Agency.
E. Hunter Harrison, President and Chief Executive Officer of CN, said,
"CN is a North American company with significant interests in both
Canada and the United States. We believe this agreement will
strengthen existing border security while assuring an orderly flow of
goods between the two countries -- a flow that is vital to both Canada
and the U.S."
"We strongly support the efforts of both governments to maintain a
secure border in the face of potential terrorist threats," said Rob
Ritchie, CPR's President and Chief Executive Officer. "The Canada-U.S.
trade partnership is the biggest in the world. We believe the best way
to keep our goods flowing smoothly across the border is to provide a
strong, secure rail service."
In addition to the efforts related to the declaration of principles,
CN and CPR have both secured accreditation under CBP's Customs-Trade
Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) program. C-TPAT is a joint
government-business initiative designed to build cooperative
relationships that strengthen overall supply chain and border
security.
The railways and Customs officials are already working to implement
the measures outlined in the declaration of principles, and expect
this work will be completed over the next several months.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)



NEWSLETTER
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list