WCO and Efficient Information Flows

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WCO andEfficient Information Flows

• Takashi Matsumoto
• March 2005

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Structure of the Presentation

• WCO in brief
• WCO work in this field
• WCO Regional Office for Capacity Building (ROCB)

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WCO in brief

• Customs Co-operation Council (CCC),
• Established in 1952,
• Headquarters Brussels
• Since 1994 World Customs Organization (WCO)
• Independent intergovernmental organization
• 164 Members (Customs administrations ) covering
  99 of world trade

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What is the WCO doing?
Rule and Standard Setting
Efficient and Effective Customs
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Efficient and Effective Customs

• is prerequisite
• to further facilitate trade and
• to further enhance security
• Efficient information flow is a key to enhance
  efficiency and effectiveness of Customs

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Parties involved for Customs procedure
Foreign Customs
Foreign Customs
Customs
Port Authority
Importer
Customs Broker
Quarantine
Airline
Food sanitation
Shipping Company
Import License
Carrier
Forwarder
Warehouse
Shipping Agent
Container Yard
Bank
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Related work of the WCO
Single Window
Integrated Supply Chain Mgt.
Unique Consignment Reference
WCO Data Model, Business Partnerships, Standard
Risk Assessment
Revised Kyoto Convention, Mutual Administrative
Assistance, etc.
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Revised Kyoto Convention

• International Convention on the Simplification
  and Harmonization of Customs Procedures, 1973
• Revised in 1999, waiting for the entry into force
  (expected very near future)
• Core principles are binding commitments
• Consistent with and complementary to the WTO/GATT
  Articles

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Core principles

• Higher transparency and predictability
• Standardized and simplified documents
• Minimum requests and intervention
• Divorce of release from clearance
• Use of risk management

• Specially simplified procedures for authorized
  traders
• Maximum use of information technology
• Co-operation with other agencies and foreign
  counterparts
• Partnership with the trade

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WCO Customs Data ModelKyoto Customs Data
Principles

• Common data sets and uniform electronic messages
  for cargo report, import, and export declarations
  for the clearance of ordinary goods
• Maximum data requirements for the routine
  exchange of information between Customs and the
  trader
• Countries to require as little information as
  necessary for Customs control purposes
• Release on minimum information

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WCO Customs Data Model

• Harmonized maximum data sets for import, export
  and transit
• Common electronic messages based on EDIFACT XML
  to follow
• International code standards (WCO, ISO, UN,
  others)
• Version 1 (2002) G7 Initiative
• Version 1.1 (2003) G7 Security
• Version 2.0 (June 2005) WCO OGA

G8 countries and APEC economies agreed to
implement Data Model by 2005, where possible
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Unique Consignment Reference Number (UCR)

• Reported to Customs at any point during a Customs
  Procedure
• Applied to all international goods movements for
  which Customs control is required
• Used only as an access key for audit, consignment
  tracking and information reconciliation purposes
• Unique at both national and international level
• Applied at consignment level
• Issued as early as possible in the international
  transaction

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Integrated Supply Chain Management (ISCM)
Guidelines

• Mandatory advance information
• Based on revised Kyoto Convention
• Using WCO Data Model UCR
• Enhance Customs-to-Customs co-operation
  (bilaterally, multilaterally)
• Mutual recognition
• Single window
• Partnership with trade
• Authorized Supply Chain

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What is ROCB?

• WCO Asia Pacific Regional Office for Capacity
  Building (ROCB)
• Established July 2004 and formally opened
  September 2004 in Bangkok (Thai Customs
  Department)
• Support Capacity Building activities of AP Member
  Customs Administration

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(No Transcript)
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Missions of Customs and CB
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Missions of ROCB
ROCB
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Diagnosis Activities

• To hold two WCO Diagnostic Framework workshop in
  Asia Pacific Region (Thailand and India) to
  foster Diagnosis experts.
• To dispatch diagnosis experts to requesting
  countries in collaboration with WCO to identify
  capacity building areas and suggest possible
  solutions.
• Whole administration
• Particular areas e.g. IT, IPR, Import/Export,
  etc.

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Technical Assistance

• (Regional Seminar)
• TF and Revised Kyoto (India) (Jan. 31-Feb. 4)
• Non-preferential ROO (Sri Lanka) (Feb. 21-25)
• HS Multipurpose (Japan) (February 21-25)
• Diagnosis Framework Facilitators (India)( Mar.
  14-18)
• Framework of Standard on Secure and Facilitate
  Global Trade (Hong Kong) (Mar. 22-24)
• Synthetic Drugs and its Precursor Chemicals
  (Philippines) (Apr. 18-22, 2005)
• WTO Valuation Agreement (Malaysia)
• (National Seminar)
• HS Multipurpose (China) (Feb. 21-25)
• Updating of HS 2002 (Bhutan) (Apr. 4-8)
• WTO Valuation Agreement (Bhutan) (June), etc.

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Partnership with Donors

• The World Bank Modernization of Customs
• E.g. Afghanistan, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia,
  etc.
• ADB Development Programs including Customs
  modernization
• e.g. GMS, Central Asia, Afghanistan and
  neighboring
• Cooperation fund for security issues (ADB, APEC)
• WTO Trade Facilitation Seminars
• Donor Countries Bilateral Technical Assistance

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Thank you
Takashi Matsumoto rocbap_at_asianet.co.th