The World Customs Organisation (WCO) has announced that on 24 July Tunisia became the 112th contracting party to the International Convention on the Simplification and Harmonisation of Customs Procedures, simply known as the Revised Kyoto Convention or RYC.
Having entered into force on 03 February 2006, the RKC, a WCO legal instrument which is regarded by the entire international customs community as the blueprint for modern customs in the 21st century, was widely used in the negotiations for adoption of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA). Accession to the RKC and, above all, its implementation, complements countries’ efforts towards ratification and implementation of the WTO TFA.
The RYC’s key elements include the application of simplified customs procedures in a predictable and transparent environment, the optimal use of information technology, the utilisation of risk management for efficient customs control, a strong partnership with the trade and other stakeholders, and a readily accessible system of appeals.
