Are you in compliance with U.S. Customs laws and regulations? The U.S. Customs Service has introduced a voluntary program that can help you find out.

Importer Self-Assessment (ISA), replaces the four-year-old Importer Compliance Monitoring Program (ICMP). ISA entitles participants to receive entry summary data and exemptions from the agency's comprehensive compliance audits.

But taking part is not necessarily easy. In order to participate, the importer must join the security program known as the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) as well as complete and sign a memorandum of understanding and an ISA questionnaire.

To participate in the ISA, importers must:

• Comply with all applicable customs laws and regulations;
• Maintain a system of business records that demonstrates the accuracy of the importer's transactions;
• Establish, document and implement internal controls;
• Perform periodic testing of the system based on risk;
• Make appropriate adjustments to internal controls;
• Make appropriate disclosures;
• Maintain an audit trail from financial records; and
• Maintain results of the internal testing for five years.

Additional information, including an application form and questionnaire, may be found on the U.S. Customs Web site at www.customs.gov.