*EPF512 11/08/2002
Text: Italy Joins U.S. Container Security Initiative
(U.S. customs agents to screen U.S.-bound cargo at Italian ports) (760)

Italy has agreed to participate in a U.S. security plan aimed at preventing terrorists from smuggling their emissaries or weapons of mass destruction into the United States in sea-borne cargo containers, the U.S. Customs Service says.

Under the agreement, U.S. Customs agents will be stationed at two Italian ports, La Spezia and Genoa, to help local customs agents identify U.S.-bound high-risk cargo containers, according to a November 7 U.S. Customs press release.

Under the Container Security Initiative, as the program is known, the Bush administration is seeking partnerships with other governments that would allow it to target and screen high-risk sea containers before they leave major foreign ports. So far Canada, Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Singapore, Japan, Hong-Kong and China have joined the initiative.

However, the European Union (EU) has recently expressed concerns that the U.S. program could put some ports and exporters in Europe at a disadvantage by increasing congestion and shipping costs, according to news reports.

U.S. homeland security advisor Tom Ridge, who recently visited Europe, said November 4 that the United States and the EU are discussing "an overarching scheme of principles" for inspecting U.S.-bound cargo, and that a resolution of "mutual concerns" could be achieved soon, before an EU official involved in the talks visits Washington in December.

Following is the text of the news release:

(begin text)

U.S. Customs Service
Thursday, November 7, 2002

Italy Signs Declaration of Principles to Join U.S. Customs Container Security Initiative, Strengthening Anti-Terror Coalition
La Spezia and Genoa Ports to Pre-Screen U.S.-Bound Cargo Containers

WASHINGTON, D.C.����- U.S. Customs Commissioner Robert C. Bonner and Mario Andrea Guaiana, Director, Italian Customs Agency, today announced that the government of Italy has agreed to participate in the U.S. Customs Container Security Initiative (CSI).

CSI is a U.S. Customs initiative designed to prevent the smuggling of terrorists or terrorist weapons in ocean-going cargo containers. Under terms of the declaration announced today, U.S. Customs officers will be stationed at the Italian ports of La Spezia and Genoa.

"I applaud the government of Italy for joining the Office of Public U.S. Customs Service Container Security Initiative Affairs (CSI)," said Commissioner Bonner. "This joint declaration with Italy is yet another example of the joint efforts and continuing strong resolve in the international fight against terror. This will provide a significant measure of security for the global trading system as a whole."

Globally, over 48 million full cargo containers move between major seaports each year. Each year, more than 16 million containers arrive in the United States by ship, truck, and rail.

"We recognize the importance to deter and interdict any terrorist attempt to disrupt global trade or to attempt to make use of commercial shipping to further their own schemes," said Mario Andrea Guaiana, Director, Italian Customs Agency. "We support CSI in safeguarding global trade by enhancing cooperation at our seaports in identifying and examining high-risk containers and ensuring their in-transit integrity."

This agreement intensifies bilateral Customs cooperation within the framework of the Customs mutual administrative assistance agreement to station, on a pilot basis, starting at the ports of La Spezia and Genoa, officers of the U.S. Customs Service to further this enhanced cooperation.

The U.S. Customs Service has signed Container Security Initiative declaration of principles with the governments of Canada, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

In September, the U.S. Customs Service and Japanese Customs and Tariff Bureau announced in Tokyo the sealing of the declaration of principles to participate on a pilot basis in the Container Security Initiative (CSI). In October, China joined CSI in principle.

The CSI initiative supports the "Cooperative G8 Action on Transport Security" adopted by the 8 most important industrialized nations (G-8) at their Kananaskis, Canada, meeting on June 26, 2002.

Launched by U.S. Customs in January 2002, CSI consists of four core elements. These include: (1) using automated information to identify and target high-risk containers; (2) pre-screening those containers identified as high-risk before they arrive at U.S. ports; (3) using detection technology to quickly pre-screen high-risk containers; and (4) using smarter, tamper proof containers.

The initial objective is to implement CSI at the ports that send large volumes of cargo containers into the United States, in a way that will facilitate detection of potential security concerns at their earliest possible opportunity.

One element of CSI involves placing U.S. Customs inspectors at foreign seaports to target and pre-screen U.S.-bound cargo containers before they are shipped to America. Since approximately 68 percent of the 5.7 million sea containers entering the U.S. annually arrive from 20 foreign seaports, U.S. Customs is initially focusing on these "mega" ports as chokepoints in the global trading system.

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(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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