AMPS - Administrative Monetary Penalty System
The Administrative Monetary Penalty System (AMPS) is a civil penalty regime that secures compliance with Customs legislation through the application of monetary penalties.


AMPS largely replaces the use of seizure and forfeiture provisions for technical infractions. Seizure and ascertained forfeiture will only be used for the most serious offences.


AMPS applies to contraventions of the Customs Act and the Customs Tariff and the regulations there under, as well as contraventions of the terms and conditions of licensing agreements and undertakings.


AMPS will impose monetary penalties in proportion to the type, frequency, and severity of the infraction. Most penalties are graduated and will take the compliance history of the client into consideration.


AMPS does not pose any new obligations to comply with Customs legislation, regulations and undertakings. AMPS will not affect businesses that continue to comply with Customs requirements.

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FAST - Free and Secure Trade
The Free and Secure Trade (FAST) program is a joint Canada-U.S. initiative involving the Canada Border Services Agency, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, the United States Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

FAST supports moving pre-approved eligible goods across the border quickly and verifying trade compliance away from the border.

It is a harmonized commercial process offered to pre-approved importers, carriers, and registered drivers. Shipments for approved companies, transported by approved carriers using registered drivers, will be cleared into either country with greater speed and certainty, and at a reduced cost of compliance.

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CSA - Customs Self Assessment
As part of the Customs Action Plan, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) introduced the Customs Self Assessment (CSA) program, a progressive trade option for clients who invest in compliance.

Based on the principles of risk management and partnership, the CSA program will be of mutual benefit to the importing community and the CBSA.

Clients will have the opportunity to significantly reduce the costs of compliance while enhancing their ability to comply with customs requirements.

The CBSA will have the opportunity to better align its resources with trade of higher or unknown risk.

The CSA program will give approved importers the benefits of a streamlined accounting and payment process for all imported goods. The streamlined accounting and payment process ends the need for importers to maintain separate and costly customs processes, allowing them to use their own business systems to fully self assess and meet their customs obligations. See CSA Revenue Summary to complete your monthly revenue summary electronically or in hard copy.

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PIP - Partners in Protection

Partners in Protection (PIP) is designed to enlist the co-operation of private industry in efforts to enhance border security, combat organized crime and terrorism, increase awareness of customs compliance issues, and help detect and prevent contraband smuggling.

Your organization will be asked to sign a partnership agreement with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). The arrangement is based on goodwill. Your organization will not be asked to act as a law-enforcement body, and all information exchanged is treated as confidential. Your organization and the CBSA will work together focusing on security, the exchange of information, and awareness.

To enhance and strengthen your security processes, your company will be asked to give us a self-assessment of its security systems. This self-assessment will help us identify any weaknesses in security processes and will enable us to help you address any deficiencies. The goal is to minimize the threat of illegal activity.
C-TPAT - Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism
C-TPAT offers businesses an opportunity to play an active role in the war against terrorism. By
participating in this first worldwide supply chain security initiative, companies will ensure a more
secure supply chain for their employees, suppliers and customers.

Just a few benefits of C-TPAT members:

  • A reduced number of inspections and reduced border wait times.
  • A C-TPAT supply chain specialist to serve as the CBP liaison for validations, security issues,
    procedural updates, communication and training.
  • Access to the C-TPAT members through the Status Verification Inter face.
  • Self-policing and self-monitoring of security activities.
  • In the Automated Commercial System (ACS), C-TPAT certified importers receive reduced
    selection rate for Compliance Measurement Examinations (-3X in FY 2003) and exclusion from
    certain trade-related local and national criteria.
  • C-TPAT certified importers receive targeting benefits (-7X in FY 2003) by receiving a “credit” via the CBP targeting system.
  • Certified C-TPAT importers are eligible for access to the FAST lanes on the Canadian and
    Mexican borders.
  • Certified C-TPAT importers are eligible for the Office of Strategic Trade’s (OST) Importer
    Self-Assessment Program (ISA) and have been given priority access to participate in the
    Automated Commercial Environment (ACE).
  • C-TPAT certified highway carriers, on the Canadian and Mexican borders, benefit from their
    access to the expedited cargo processing at designated FAST lanes. These carriers are eligible
    to receive more favorable mitigation relief from monetary penalties.
  • C-TPAT certified Mexican manufacturers benefit from their access to the expedited cargo
    processing at the designated FAST lanes.
  • All certified C-TPAT companies are eligible to attend CBP sponsored C-TPAT supply chain
    security training seminars.

CBP provided benefits are not the only benefits that companies realize by joining C-TPAT. Companies
have found that joining C-TPAT often results in discovering outdated procedures and/or discovering areas that need improved security and efficiency. While per forming the required supply chain assessment for C-TPAT membership, companies are able to streamline their operations. C-TPAT aids companies in optimizing their internal and external management of assets and functions while at the same time enhancing security. When administered together, enhanced security practices and procedures, and increased supply chain performance will mitigate the risk of loss, damage
and theft, and reduce the likelihood of the introduction of potentially dangerous elements into the
global supply chain.

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