At the June 2018 sessions of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) Policy Commission and Council the setting up of a Working Group on the Comprehensive Review of the International Convention on the Simplification and Harmonisation of Customs Procedures (as amended) was approved. It recognises the need to ensure it remains the blueprint for modern and efficient Customs procedures in the 21st Century. The process of the comprehensive review of this WCO flagship instrument, widely known as the Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC), was launched at the first meeting of the newly established Working Group (WGRKC).
The WGRKC will be looking at the legal text of the RKC - Body, General Annex and Specific Annexes, as well as the non-binding Guidelines to the Annexes of the RKC, and will explore various options on a number of horizontal issues, such as “future proofing” the Convention and introducing a robust mechanism for implementation monitoring.
The First Meeting of the WGRKC in September 2018 gathered over 70 delegates representing around 50 WCO members and launched the strategic discussions on the key issues related to the comprehensive review of the RKC. The WGRKC agreed that the WCO should leverage on the excellent partnership relations with other international organisations, regional organisations, industry associations, the private sector, development partners and academia, to ensure an all-inclusive approach to the comprehensive review of the RKC.
On 09 November the WCO is organising a Global Conference on the Comprehensive Review of the RKC, which will bring together member Customs administrations and a wide range of external stakeholders.
During the Conference, Customs administrations will share national and regional experiences on the implementation of the RKC to enable a strategic discussion on a future mechanism for implementation monitoring coupled with tailor-made capacity building support. In dialogue sessions, stakeholders and members will discuss the growing use of technologies and the resulting evolution of the trade and logistics environment. The Conference will further deliberate on the development of a “Customs of the future” model and the avenues to maintain the RKC as the WCO flagship Convention.