C-TPAT five years on: the SME Perspective

The Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) recently celebrated its 5th birthday. The occasion warrants a review of the voluntary programme from the perspective of US small and medium traders (SMEs). For while the programme is voluntary, if non-participation puts an SME at a competitive disadvantage versus larger and multinational corporations, does it leave the SME with any choices beyond join or lose? Apparently so, as evidenced by the typically independent behavior of SMEs.