In 2007 there were over $2 trillion worth of goods imported into the US by over 800,000 importers. Items imported range from raw materials to manufactured goods. And all these items, regardless of the country of origin or final destination, must comply with various government regulations. But how can you make sure that your imports are not only safe but comply with each different, and appropriate, regulation?

According to the Interagency Working Group’s 2007 Action Plan for Import Safety, there are three keystones of the Strategic Framework that are essential to ensuring all imports into the US are safe for consumption. Good import practices allow the importer to:

• Prevent harm in the first place
• Intervene when risks are identified
• Respond rapidly after harm has occurred

Tracking the changes to each regulation as well as ensuring that your importing practices are compliant can be a difficult task. However, using an on-demand solution like Integration Point® Supply Chain Compliance can make the collection of supplier data, sharing of best practices, and verifying of compliance easier.

Integration Point Supply Chain Compliance provides users with a platform to enhance company and industry-specific security standards with their external suppliers, as well as company employees, to achieve compliance with government regulations.  The Integration Point solution helps organizations in three main ways:

1. Strengthen existing security standards. Organizations can create and distribute web-based import safety questionnaires to efficiently manage a supplier’s adherence to security standards.
2. Verify and promote use of best practices. Importers create and monitor their own compliance and encourage suppliers to take part in voluntary certification programs such as C-TPAT, PIP, or AEO. Importers use the Integration Point Solution to track a supplier's diligence and best practices, thus providing the importer with a higher level of assurance that their goods are in compliance with US Federal laws and regulations.
3. Create an import safety information network. The Integration Point Solution assists with the developing an import safety information network by providing a web-based tool that importers can use to show due diligence and compliance. Using the software, importers have the ability to interact with their entire supply chain to view the complete product lifecycle from conception to consumption in order to maintain compliance, and share regulatory information.

Government regulations are added and amended to quite frequently when it comes to import safety. With Integration Point Supply Chain Compliance, companies can quickly and easily update all suppliers and supply chain partners when these regulatory changes take place.

For more information on how Integration Point Supply Chain Compliance can assist your company with import safety regulations, send us an email or complete our on-line request form.

For additional information on government import safety standards, please visit the following websites:

US Department of Human Health & Services - www.importsafety.gov

Consumer Product Safety Commission - www.cpsc.gov