Customer Advisory: U.S. Compliance Advisory

New Automated Commercial Environment Feature “Consolidated Administration & Processing of Entries” Announced

The Court of International Trade (CIT) found U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) progress adequate in processing refunds related to tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). On March 12, 2026, CBP provided Judge Robert Eaton of the Court of International Trade with an overview of its Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) IEEPA refund program, including the addition of a new ACE feature called Consolidated Administration & Processing of Entries (CAPE). This portal will allow importers and customs brokers to submit IEEPA refund requests, referred to as a CAPE Declaration, to CBP. Upon launch, users will see a new tab in their ACE Portal accounts for both importers and customs brokers. The CAPE system will consist of four interconnected components:

• Claim Portal
• Mass Processing
• Review and Liquidation/Reliquidation
• Refund

In effect, importers with an ACE account, or their designated customs brokers, will be able to upload an Excel file containing all verified records. This will allow U.S. Customs and Border Protection to review those records and issue refunds.

CBP indicated that CAPE will launch in stages and is currently 60–70% complete. The initial phase will handle most entries where IEEPA duties were previously paid, including both formal and informal entries. However, the system will initially exclude certain cases, including:

• Unliquidated entries subject to antidumping or countervailing duties
• Entries with ACE statuses such as Suspended, Extended, or Under Review
• Certain specialized entry types, including warehouse withdrawals and entries tied to drawback claims

CBP plans to expand CAPE’s capabilities in later phases to address more complex scenarios and will provide additional operational guidance to trade stakeholders as development progresses.

If, as the Importer of Record, you wish to have KWE submit the CAPE Refund Request on your behalf, please contact the KWE Customs Trade & Compliance Group for assistance at: customs_compliance_group@kwe.com

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