The 115th and 116th annual
sessions of the World Customs
Organisation (WCO), the
voice of the global Customs
community, took place in
Brussels from June 24-26
(while we were enjoying
the first Fifa Soccer World
Cup hosted on the African
continent).
Customs chiefs discussed
issues such as a globally
networked Customs. A
considerable time was spent
discussing innovative risk
management and the future
challenge of putting risk
management theory into
practice.
‘A practical tool, The Risk
Management Compendium’,
has been published by
the WCO and provides a
guide supported by many
case studies and practical
examples. The goal is to keep
the compendium updated by
feeding future examples and
case studies into it.
2010 is the WCO’s year
of the Customs-Business
Partnership. Bearing in
mind that the Customs-Trade
partnership is a priority
activity, the organisation
signed renewed Memoranda
of Understanding (MOU) with
the International Federation
of Freight Forwarders
Associations, the Global
Express Association, the
International Federation of
Customs Brokers Associations
and the International Air
Cargo Association.
The WCO’s regional
network was expanded with
the signing of MOUs between
the WCO and the Republics
of Congo, Korea and Ukraine.
Regional Training Centres
will be established in these
countries, serving as centres
of excellence in these regions.
The Phillippines and
Kenya became the 70th and
71st contracting parties to
the WCO Revised Kyoto
Convention (which promotes
trade facilitation and Customs
modernisation). Liberia
also became the 138th
contracting party to the
WCO Harmonised System
Convention.
Tripartite agreements were
signed between the WCO
and Lesotho /South Africa,
Mauritius/South Africa,
Ethiopia/Israel and Mauritius/
Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia, thus promoting
the sharing of knowledge of
skills with one another.
South Africa can be
proud of the fact that Erich
Kieck from South Africa
was appointed to head the
Capacity Building Directorate.
The Annual Sessions of
the WCO remind us of the
extensive work going on
behind the scenes to ensure
fair trade. Should this not
encourage us to work hard
ensuring that we, as various
role players, are compliant in
all respects with the various
international trade laws and
instruments?
Networked Customs tops agenda at WCO meeting
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