Livingston International Announces It’s Ready for the Single Window Initiative

Attention Business Editors

June 9, 2015

TORONTO- Leading customs broker and trade compliance company Livingston International announced it is ready for the testing phase of the Canada Border Services Agency’s (CBSA) Single Window Initiative (SWI).

The SWI allows those who conduct international trade to submit electronically through a single integrated platform the release requirements of other government agencies. Livingston is among the first customs broker to be ready for SWI, and decided to implement the voluntary program because the format enables an expedited release of client cargo.

The SWI is a joint initiative between the CBSA and other Canadian federal government departments (OGDs) that want to receive shipment release information electronically. SWI is the Canadian counterpart under the Beyond the Border Action Plan, an agreement between Canada and the United States to provide commercial traders with a single window to submit all information required to comply with customs and other government regulations.

“It’s vital that we stay ahead of industry trends and initiatives that help simplify trade,” said Vice President, Regulatory Affairs Canada Candace Sider.  “Working with CBSA on this program and being one of the first brokers to implement means we are in a position to bring the benefits of a modernized electronic system to our clients first.”

Nine Participating Government Agencies (PGA) representing about 40 programs are involved in the SWI. Natural Resources Canada (NRcan), Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, Transport Canada and Health Canada are the first of the nine other government agencies to move to the Single Window platform.

Benefits of the SWI include:

  • Expedites the release of cargo across borders.
  • Enables brokers to process shipment information faster by eliminating paper and, in many cases, duplicate reporting when cargo information must be supplied to both the CBSA and another department.

The SWI in its existing form is a five-year project that was initiated in 2012.

About Livingston

Livingston International focuses on customs brokerage and trade compliance, offering international trade consulting, global trade management and freight forwarding.  It provides clarity in a world of trade complexity, so business can grow further, faster and smarter.  Livingston employs over 3,200 staff at 125 key border points, sea ports, airports and other strategic locations across North America, Europe and Asia.  www.livingstonintl.com

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Pat Stanghieri
Livingston International
1-800-387-7582 ext. 3292
pstanghieri@livingstonintl.com

Samantha Blieden
PCI
312-558-1770 ext. 138
sblieden@pcipr.com