U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is making significant progress in developing a refund process for IEEPA tariffs, with another key update scheduled for March 19. This process will be supported by a new system within the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE), called Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE).
The CAPE system is being built in four main components: Claim Portal, Mass Processing, Review and Liquidation/Reliquidation, and Refund.
As of March 11, progress on each component varies:
- Claim Portal: 70% complete
- Mass Processing: 40% complete
- Liquidation/Reliquidation: 80% complete
- Refund Functionality: 60% complete
Once fully implemented, the CAPE system will automate the removal of IEEPA HTS numbers, validate duty calculations, and streamline the liquidation, reliquidation, and refund processes.
CBP expects CAPE to handle most formal and informal IEEPA duties during its first phase, with further features being added over time.