About the International Trade Surety Association (ITSA)

The International Trade Surety Association (“ITSA”) has served as the voice of the customs surety bond industry since August 1984; first as the Customs Bond Committee of The American Surety Association (“TASA”), then reorganizing as ITSA in December 2004, following dissolution of TASA.  

The International Trade Surety Association (ITSA) represents surety and insurance professionals who underwrite more than 70% of the bonds that enable international trade. Our mission is to strengthen economic security, ensure compliance with federal regulations, and uphold the integrity of the surety industry through advocacy, education, and collaboration.

The Association, in its own name and through its members acting on behalf of the Association, has a long history of leadership in advancing the role of sureties in the dual responsibility to the government and the trade to promote national economic security by facilitating lawful trade, protecting national revenues and promoting compliance with federal border agency requirements.

ITSA has long been a consistent and effective advocate for achieving these goals in administrative, legislative, and judicial fora and with the trade community. 

• Administrative: Five different ITSA members served on eleven of the seventeen terms of the statutory advisory committee on Customs Commercial operations (COAC). ITSA members have served in leadership roles in the Trade Support Network (TSN) since its creation in the 1990’s to modernize and automate Customs processes and procedures. ITSA inspired a formalized quarterly communication of the surety industry with CBP in 1995  (CSEC now CSC),  substituting a collaborative consultative process for a combative, adversarial environment.

• Legislative: ITSA has met with Congressmen and Senators on both major and minor customs reform legislation, guided by the principle that the  customs surety program should continue to play its vital and unique role to secure national economic security by facilitating lawful trade, protecting government revenues and promoting compliance with federal law. 

• Judicial: ITSA has appeared in numerous Court Cases as amicus, advising courts how to avoid decisions which would disrupt the dynamic nature and needs of a robust customs surety program able to facilitate legitimate trade while securing government interests. 

• Trade Community. ITSA members participate on boards and at the meetings of import, export, customs brokerage, freight forwarding, warehousing and foreign-trade zone associations, bringing surety-related experience and concerns into their deliberations. 

ITSA establishes its Mission through Advocacy and Education

Advocacy

We are advocates for consistent, fair, and efficient administration of the laws and regulations which impact the international supply chain, including importers/exporters; carriers by air, sea and land; warehouses; foreign-trade zones, customs brokers and freight-forwarders.

Education  

We are educators, providing information, webinars and seminars for the trade community , federal agencies, elected members of Congress and staff regarding the important role and challenges of the surety industry in securing trade at our nation’s borders.