FCC to Eliminate Form 740 Entry Filing Requirements for RF Devices
The Federal Communications Commission will end its requirement to file FCC Form 740 import declarations for radio frequency (RF) devices with CBP at the time of entry, it said in a July 13 press release (here). Elimination of the filing requirement, as expected (see 1706280065), will take effect upon publication of the FCC's rule in the Federal Register. The FCC has waived the requirement to file Form 740 since July 2016 to facilitate the transition to electronic filing in ACE (see 1510200035).
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"Because of the exponential increase in imported RF devices, this filing requirement has become an unwieldy tool for the FCC and it has placed an increasingly substantial burden on importers," the FCC said in the news release. "At the same time, the CBP’s revised database and the increasing availability of product information on the Internet and through other means have reduced the practical need for the form." Despite the end of entry requirements, compliance provisions for RF devices still apply, the FCC has said.
In the same action, the FCC is also streamlining labeling procedures and approval requirements. The agency will allow labeling information to be provided on an RF device's electronic display, instead of allowing only etching or permanent labels on the exterior devices. "Manufacturers expect the use of electronic labelling rather than permanent physical labels to result in a measurable reduction in costs," the FCC said. The change was allowed by the Enhance Labeling, Accessing, and Branding of Electronic Licenses (E-LABEL) Act of 2014.
The FCC will also combine "two separate self-approval procedures into one, which will help reduce confusion as to which process applies to any given product," it said. The new Suppliers Declaration of Conformity "will allow device manufacturers to bring products to market in a more efficient manner while continuing to ensure compliance with the equipment authorization program," it said.