TTB and Import Safety

In recent months, many of us have heard or read news stories focusing on safety issues with various imported products, ranging from children’s toys and cat food to toothpaste and seafood.

In response to these increasing issues, TTB, as a Treasury representative for the Interagency Working Group on Import Safety, is highlighting the importance of import safety and working towards preventing and minimizing potential safety concerns by implementing a series of recommendations which were the result of various exercises completed by TTB in assisting the Working Group with its efforts.

What is the Interagency Working Group on Import Safety?

The Interagency Working Group on Import Safety, made up of senior Administration officials, was established by a Presidential Executive Order on July 18, 2007, to conduct a comprehensive review of current import safety practices and determine where improvements can be made.  Learn more.

The Working Group was tasked with reviewing what is being done to promote import safety at three stages:

• In the exporting country
• By U.S. importing companies, and
• By federal, state, and local governments

Their findings, available in the Action Plan for Import Safety, provides specific short- and long-term recommendations to better protect consumers and enhance the safety of the increasing volume of imports entering the United States. More information is available at: http://www.importsafety.gov.

TTB Recommendations

As part of this effort, TTB aims to implement a series of recommendations which are meant to ensure the safety of imported products under our authority.

These are the following:

1. Implement a statistically valid alcohol beverage sampling program that will provide for a better risk based targeting program (COMPLETED – This program was implemented in February of 2008.  Learn more)
2. Expedite the communication phase in the International Trade Data System in order to notify government agencies and industry regarding safety issues.
3. Issue an industry circular to all importers and producers advising them to be vigilant about product safety.
4. Continue partnerships with the industries regulated in order to facilitate the continuation of voluntary disclosure and resolution of health and safety issues, as well as continuing to provide outreach to the import communities detailing the procedures required for importation i.e., U.S. requirements (ONGOING - This forms part of TTB’s mission and as such, is an ongoing effort).
5. a) Enhance information sharing between agencies by forging additional formal partnerships through Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with our counterpart regulators in foreign countries (COMPLETED – TTB signed an MOU with China’s AQSIQ on December 11, 2007.  Read the MOU).
   b) Enhance information sharing between agencies by forging additional formal partnerships through MOUs with U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
6. Continue monitoring foreign reports on product health and safety problems.  Identify importers, obtain samples, and conduct laboratory analyses to ensure products in U.S. marketplace are safe (ONGOING - This forms part of TTB’s mission and as such, is an ongoing effort).
7. Consider forming ad hoc technical task forces for alcoholic beverages and tobacco products with Federal, State, local and foreign laboratory directors from agencies which have a role in regulating alcohol and tobacco.  Such task forces would facilitate the exchange of information on testing methodologies; and on new trends, technologies, and innovations in the production of alcohol and tobacco products. This will help governments assess product safety threats more efficiently (COMPLETED).
8. Apply to become a Food Emergency Response Network (FERN) Laboratory (COMPLETED – TTB’s Scientific Services Division was accepted as a member of FERN in February of 2008.)