Trade Facilitation: Indiana
Indiana Becomes 2nd State Approved For ‘Fast Track’ FTZs
The State of Indiana recently became the second state in the country to establish an accelerated application process for Foreign-Trade Zones (FTZ) in all counties, behind Delaware, which has three counties.
The Ports of Indiana is the statewide administrator for all Foreign-Trade Zones. In 2011, the agency became the first foreign-trade zone grantee in the country to receive ASF approval on multiple zones. Indiana’s six FTZs include: Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor, FTZ 152; Port of Indiana-Jeffersonville, FTZ 170; Port of Indiana-Mount Vernon, FTZ 177; City of Fort Wayne, FTZ 182; Indianapolis Airport Authority, FTZ 72; and St. Joseph County Airport Authority, FTZ 125. Randolph County received its designation under Fort Wayne’s FTZ 182.
On February 22, the U.S. Foreign Trade Zone Board approved the Alternative Site Framework (ASF) designation for Randolph County, making it the 92nd and final county in the state to be approved for a streamlined FTZ application process.
The ASF designation was created by the U.S. Foreign-Trade Zones Board to reduce the time and paperwork required to establish an FTZ, in some cases reducing the application process from one year to just 30 days. FTZs are designed to reduce, eliminate or delay duties on certain international goods in order to increase competitiveness of American companies and protect U.S. jobs.
"Having every county approved for the streamlined FTZ application process is a unique asset for Indiana," said Rich Cooper, CEO for the Ports of Indiana. "Indiana’s FTZ administrators were committed to pursuing the ASF designations in order to provide a faster pathway for businesses to obtain FTZs and to eliminate some of the obstacles companies face when exploring FTZ benefits. In an expanding global economy with increased competition among nations for jobs, industry and capital, FTZs help promote American competitiveness by encouraging companies to maintain and expand their operations in the United States."
Learn more about Indiana’s foreign trade zones.