|
|||||
|
|||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
 |
 |
    |
|
|
|||
 |
|
||
|
|||
|
|
|
|
||||||||
|
U.S. Response: Ridge Pushes Shipping Security U.S. homeland security chief Tom Ridge urged European countries to join the U.S. Container Security Initiative during a visit yesterday to Rotterdam (see GSN, Nov. 1). Ridge advocated inspecting cargo manifests 24 hours before loading the goods onto ships on their way to the United States. The ability to inspect those lists and the cargo itself, “would dramatically increase our security,” Ridge said. U.S. Customs officials have been working in Rotterdam with their Dutch counterparts for several months to experiment with the initiative (Associated Press/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Nov. 6). While Ridge was pushing the U.S. plan, however, the European Union was considering penalizing countries that participate. EU officials said the plan would allow some ports — and cargoes — easier access to the United States, creating backups at participating harbors and putting other countries at a disadvantage. “Customs policy in Europe,” EU spokesman Jonathan Todd said, “is coordinated by the European Commission.” The Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and France are among countries that might suffer penalties. “We regret this action because these are our friends and allies,” Ridge said. U.S. officials, however, said they feel that they cannot wait to establish an agreement that spans Europe. “Our objective is to get this done as quickly as we possibly can,” U.S. Customs spokesman Dennis Murphy said. “We don’t have the luxury of time here,” he said. U.S. officials said they might announce next week another European country that has agreed to allow U.S. inspectors in its ports, U.S. officials said. Participation in the container initiative is an attractive option to individual European countries because it allows smoother passage through security and customs processing in the United States, Dutch officials said. “It’s good for business,” a Dutch customs official said (Gregory Crouch, New York Times, Nov. 6).
| ||||||||||
Back to top
