Shiles Joins USCIB as Head of ATA Carnet and Trade Services

Published on May 15, 2017

New York, N.Y., May 16, 2017 – Former FedEx executive and cargo industry veteran Andrew Shiles has joined the United States Council for International Business (USCIB) to lead the association’s dynamic portfolio of trade services, including the “merchandise passports” used by thousands of exporters around the world to get goods through customs quickly and easily.

As senior vice president of ATA Carnet and trade services, Shiles will work to expand U.S. trade interests through promotion of the ATA Carnet program. ATA Carnets are internationally recognized customs documents that permit temporary duty-free, tax-free entry of qualified goods for up to one year. They are used widely to facilitate entry of goods for trade shows, product samples and professional equipment.

“Andy Shiles brings extensive experience to this position,” said USCIB President and CEO Peter Robinson. “He has in-depth knowledge of trade and customs affairs, including ATA Carnet, and relationships with clients ranging from multinational corporations to SMEs to freight forwarders. In addition, Andy has strong connections with U.S. Customs, and has engaged in a number of important industry trade associations.”

USCIB manages and guarantees the ATA Carnet system in the United States, with responsibility for issuing ATA Carnets falling to two outside service providers, Roanoke Trade and the Corporation for International Business. ATA Carnets are accepted in 84 countries and territories, while the global ATA systems is overseen by the World Customs Organization (WCO) and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). USCIB serves as ICC’s American national committee.

Shiles comes to USCIB following more than 30 years at FedEx Express, the world’s largest air express cargo company, most recently as global regulatory compliance manager, where he served on USCIB’s Customs and Trade Facilitation Committee. His leadership experience in global supply-chain management includes participation in U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Simplified Entry Working Group, which redesigned and implemented the current entry-clearance process into the United States.

Shiles also has extensive experience working with multiple government agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration, Department of Agriculture and Consumer Product Safety Commission. A self-professed “Yankee with a Southern accent,” Shiles was born in Manhattan and raised in the Southwest and in Tennessee, where he received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Memphis. He is a member of the International Compliance Professionals Association and the American Association of Exporters and Importers.

Find out more about the services offered by USCIB to facilitate cross-border trade and investment at www.uscib.org.

Contact:
Jonathan Huneke, VP communications, USCIB
+1 212.703.5043 or jhuneke@uscib.org

About USCIB:
USCIB promotes open markets, competitiveness and innovation, sustainable development and corporate responsibility, supported by international engagement and regulatory coherence. Its members include U.S.-based global companies and professional services firms from every sector of our economy, with operations in every region of the world. With a unique global network encompassing leading international business organizations, including ICC, USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide, and works to facilitate international trade and investment.

USCIB Expands Its Trade Services With New Electronic Certificates of Origin

Published on July 6, 2012

USCIB recently launched its new electronic Certificates of Origin (eCOs) service. This new trade service, unveiled at the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America annual conference, adds to our suite of innovative services for exporters and international business professionals.

Certificates of Origin are international trade documents attesting to the origin of specified goods. Many customs authorities require them to obtain preferential duty rates or to fulfill obligations for letters of credit from a financial institution. USCIB’s eCOs save time and money, bypassing the delay and expense of employing messengers to obtain certification.

After a few simple steps, and certification by USCIB, eCOs can be shared electronically or printed from any computer. USCIB has licensed eCertify, as the software provider to process its eCOs, following in the footsteps of other Carnet Guaranteeing Associations worldwide.

According to Cynthia Duncan, USCIB’s senior vice president for Carnet and trade services, “There are many reasons to enter the CO market, especially as export and customs-related documents are increasingly going digital, allowing for a more efficient model over the current paper-based, messenger-intense standard. As a trusted name in the United States and among customs administrations around the world, USCIB has over four decades of experience in export documentation.”

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the world business organization that USCIB represents in the United States, is working to set international operational standards for COs, through its ICC Guidelines on Certificates of Origin and CO Task Force.

The ATA Carnet Department (recently renamed the Carnet and Trade Services Department) is now managing its online bookstore, USCIB International Bookstore, formerly known as ICCBooks USA. The USCIB International Bookstore specializes in the titles of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and in the future plans to expand its trade-related offerings. The Bookstore is the exclusive distributor of ICC titles in the U.S.

Staff Contact: Cynthia Duncan

More on USCIB’s Trade Services

Certificates of Origin FAQs

USCIB is no longer accepting applications for eCOs

USCIB is no longer in the Certificate of Origin business. Effective immediately, we will no longer accept new applications

USCIB’s eCO service is powered by eCertify. Other organizations in the U.S. also use the eCertify software and can be found at eCertify.com

We apologize for this inconvenience.

For any questions please email support@ecertify.com

What is a Certificate of Origin?

According to multiple reputable sources, a Certificate of Origin (often abbreviated to CO or COO), is an international trade document attesting to the origin of specified goods. It is often required by the customs authorities of a country as part of the entry process. The document is completed by the exporter or its agent and certified by an organization in the country of the exporter, such as a chamber of commerce, trade organization, and/or consular office.

The “origin” does not refer to the country where the goods were shipped from but to the country where they were produced. For products manufactured in two or more countries, origin is obtained in the country where the last substantial economically justified processing is carried out. An often used practice is that if more than 50% of the cost of producing the goods originates from one country, the “national content” is more than 50%, then, that country is acceptable as the country of origin.

Determining the origin of a product is important because it is key to applying import tariffs. Not all goods leaving the U.S need a certificate of origin.

Who determines whether a CO is required?

Either the customs authority of the importing country or a financial institution. The exporter and/or their freight forwarder or customs house broker will know if a CO is required when importing into a foreign country. Ask your banker if a CO is required to comply with a letter of credit.

Who is authorized to sign a CO on behalf of the exporter?

Only the exporter and/or their duly authorized signatories.

Can one Certificate of Origin cover multiple products each with different origin?

Yes, a CO may have multiple items each with a different country of origin.

What is a NAFTA Certificate of Origin?

This type of Certificate of Origin is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection form. It results from the North American Free Trade Agreement and is only used between Canada, Mexico and the United States. An exporter can file this directly with USCBP. For more details on the NAFTA CO, please Click Here.