The OCEANAIR Current

Are your GCCs and CPCs ready to go? Starting Wednesday, importers must have the proper certifications, data, and supporting documentation on file within the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) eFiling portal prior to goods arriving in the U.S. Product data loaded into the CPSC portal will generate a Product ID, Certifier ID, and Version ID, which must then be shared (offline) with the customs broker so the data can be transmitted to U.S. Customs as part of the importer’s entry filing.

Depending on the product, the importer will likely be submitting either a General Certificate of Conformance (GCC) or a Children’s Product Certificate (CPC), attesting that all required testing, marking, labeling, and safety requirements have been satisfied to allow the product to enter the U.S. market. This process represents the enforcement of long-standing consumer product testing requirements. The CPSC website provides a tool to help determine which testing requirements may apply to a product; however, the best resources for confirming compliance are test laboratories or Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) professionals. As those most familiar with both the high-level and detailed product requirements (batteries, plugs, sewn-on items, chemicals, small parts, materials, warnings, etc.), they are best equipped to assist importers in meeting the applicable requirements.

The eFiling process has been voluntary but becomes mandatory effective July 8, with applicable HTS codes now flagged for the new protocols. CBP is expected to increase enforcement as the mandate goes live. As with most new enforcement initiatives, it is anticipated that enforcement will continue to increase as the process and supporting software are tested and refined. It is important to note that the CPSC portal and the systems used to communicate import entries are not connected. Communication with your customs broker is essential, as they cannot view your portal data.

OCEANAIR is working in partnership with its clients and the industry throughout this rollout, evolving processes to meet the new requirements and providing guidance as changes continue to develop.