Detailed Cargo Description – ACI and eManifest Requirements

Under Advanced Commercial Information (ACI) and eManifest initiatives, carriers must provide electronic cargo and conveyance data to the CBSA in advance of arriving at the Canadian border.

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) encourages shippers to assist carriers in meeting eManifest requirements. To do this, shippers are asked to provide customs commercial-invoice-level information to carriers about shipments destined to arrive in Canada. This is to enable the carriers to properly report cargo information to meet the CBSA’s Advanced Commercial Information regulatory requirements

The provision of accurate, plain-language cargo descriptions supports risk assessment and assists the CBSA in identifying low-risk shipments, thus facilitating the free flow of goods.

CBSA has published examples of acceptable and not acceptable cargo description details.

Any non-compliance with requirements, including the provision of the detailed cargo description, may result in delays and increased examinations of shipments to Canada. Also, clients deemed to be non-compliant may be issued monetary penalties under the Administrative Monetary Penalty System (AMPS).

For more information on eManifest requirements and client support, visit CBSA’s website.