Last week, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) approved a pilot program to test an electronic filing system that will require importers to submit data electronically for imported consumer products. The filing system will aid CPSC and other regulators in their surveillance of imported goods and allow them to identify noncompliant goods before distribution within the United States. CPSC commissioners approved the pilot program in a 4-1 vote.

Under the current system, imported goods are shipped with paper certificates of compliance inside their shipping containers. The paper certificates describe the product, identify its manufacturer, and list applicable rules and bans. According to CPSC chair Elliot Kaye, the paper certificates can cause confusion, and there are concerns that the certificates are not always provided at the time the goods enter the United States.