Cablegate: Portugal: 9/11 Act Costly to Implement &

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RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHLI #2368 2561001
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R 131001Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY LISBON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6241
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEAORC/US CUSTOMS AND BORDER WASHDC
RHEFHLC/HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS LISBON 002368

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE DEPT FOR EUR/WE KEVIN OPSTRUP
MADRID FOR DHS/ICE EILEEN ESCOTO
CBP WASHDC FOR ROBERT A MULLER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD EWWT AMGT PTER PO
SUBJECT: PORTUGAL: 9/11 ACT COSTLY TO IMPLEMENT &
DETRIMENTAL TO TRANSATLANTIC TRADE

REF: STATE 119837

1. On September 7, Pol/Econ Officer delivered reftel talking
points on Title XVII of the 9/11 Act which calls for 100%
scanning of all US-bound shipping containers by 2010 to Jose
Figueiredo, Deputy Director-General for Customs and Special
Taxes. Figueiredo stated that Portugal does not have the
funding, infrastructure or manpower to implement the Act
which would require heavy investments by the GOP to revamp
Lisbon's ports and/or create clearance process backlogs that
could be detrimental to transatlantic trade. Figueiredo
noted that the issue is being debated in Brussels by all
member states, and he expects a unified EU response within
the next few months.

2. According to statistics from the Container Security
Initiative (CSI) team in Lisbon, less than 6% of all US-bound
cargo from the Lisbon port was scanned in 2006. Even with the
July 2007 GOP purchase of new scanning equipment, which
should be functional by late September, Figueiredo does not
expect the scanning numbers for 2007 to exceed 10%. The GOP
expects to begin talks about implementing the DOE,s
Megaports Program in early 2008.

Hoffman

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