U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has officially shared a roadmap for a new automated system designed to handle the massive backlog of IEEPA (International Emergency Economic Powers Act) refund claims.
In a recent update to Court of International Trade (CIT) Judge Robert Eaton, Brandon Lord—Executive Director of Trade Programs for CBP’s Office of Trade—introduced the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE). This new functionality within the ACE portal aims to streamline the complex process of returning overpaid duties to importers and brokers.
What is CAPE?
CAPE is a web-based interface that will serve as the primary entry point for submitting IEEPA refund requests, known as “CAPE Declarations.” Once the system goes live, importers and customs brokers will see a dedicated new tab within their ACE Portal accounts to manage these claims.
The system is built on four core integrated components, each at varying stages of completion:
How the Refund Process Will Work
The workflow is designed to be highly automated. Once a CAPE Declaration is accepted, the system will automatically schedule the entries for liquidation or reliquidation after a set number of days. This window allows CBP personnel to conduct manual reviews if necessary.
Once the entries reach their scheduled date, the ACE system will direct them into a CAPE-specific refund module within the ACE Collections framework. CBP is currently “performance testing” this consolidation process to ensure it can handle the high volume of transactions expected.
Scope and Limitations
While CAPE represents a major step forward, the first phase of development will focus on the most straightforward claims. CBP expects the system to process the majority of formal and informal entries where IEEPA duties were paid.
However, the following entry types will be excluded from the initial phase:
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Unliquidated entries subject to antidumping or countervailing duties (AD/CVD).
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Entries with a status of “Suspended,” “Extended,” or “Under Review.”
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Warehouse withdrawals and entries designated on drawback claims.
Looking Ahead
CBP plans to continue development over the coming weeks, specifically focusing on integrating the components and conducting rigorous performance tests. The NCBFAA Customs Committee and legal counsel from Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A. are closely monitoring these developments and the ongoing CIT actions.
Importers and brokers should stay tuned for detailed guidance from CBP regarding the specific functionality and official launch date of each development phase.
