Formal negotiations are expected to begin in May between the US Department of Homeland Security and Canadian officials to
set the parameters for a pre-clearance system pilot program that would relocate U.S. primary and secondary inspection stations to the Canadian side of the border.
Canada and the United States are
working closely to develop a common approach to security on the northern border. In the past, USDHS officials have said a pre-clearance system could be an interim step towards integrated border inspection
areas in which customs authorities conduct joint screening and clearance operations for passengers, vehicles and cargo.
Many details of the pre-clearance concept remain to be resolved, including
jurisdictional issues governing the authority of inspectors on foreign soil and dealing with labour unions that represent government inspectors. DHS (and Canada) are looking at a (bi)national cargo security
strategy that lays out the objectives for reducing the terrorist threat through risk management, private sector standards and best practices and international cooperation on common inspection processes and
to ensure consistency between all programs, including those involving supply chain security. |
