Automated Export System
Did you ever wonder how countries go about collecting trade statistics? I didn’t think so. But it is actually kind of interesting.
They add it all up in Suitland, Maryland.
I attended a seminar last week in Honolulu that was staged by the U.S. Bureau of the Census, which doesn’t just count people every ten years. Census is America’s data collector and national bean counter. Actually, I don’t know that they count purely domestic beans, but they would if they enter or leave the country. And it is important to count those beans that enter international trade. At the macro level, exports add to our national production when we calculate GDP, and imports subtract. Economists can come up with any number of reasons why this is or is not desirable, but Census does the numbers so we can all argue from the same data. On micro levels, trade data is vital for spotting trade problems, and as input for companies’ marketing plans.
The seminar was about the Mandatory Automated Export System, which is the vehicle through which Census collects U.S. export statistics. But AES has objectives other than mere number collection. It is the primary means by which the Commerce, State, Defense and Homeland Security Departments figure out what is going on with “controlled” U.S. exports. Under AES, exporters or their agents (such as freight forwarders or services such as FedEx) must file export documents prior to the goods leaving the United States. Among many other things, the documents must indicate if the product is subject to export licensing requirements and if the license has been received from either State or Commerce. The wrong information can trigger an inspection by U.S. Customs to make sure you aren’t shipping the wrong stuff to the bad guys around the world. That’s a no-no.
Most exports have nothing to do with such controls, but Census still wants to know what you are shipping and where it is going. You can’t file this data the old fashioned way. It’s pretty much got to be electronic, but Census has a nifty online filing system that seem fairly straightforward. If you are a heavy or frequent exporter, somebody in your firm already knows all this, but if you are a small, sporadic exporter go the Census AES site and study up. One thing you should know is that you generally don’t have to file documentation on AES if your shipment is worth $2500 or less. But there are exceptions, so take a look at the Census site anyway. Besides, I’m hoping your export business will grow and you will have to become an expert on using the AES.
