SPECIAL REPORT SUPPLEMENT - wcoomd.org

WCO NEWS TECHNOLOGY SUPPLEMENTOctober 2006

A guide to all sponsors and exhibitors at the 3rd World Customs Exhibition

OMD ACTUALITES SUPPLEMENT TECHNOLOGIEOctobre 2006

Le guide des sponsors et exposants du 3ème Salon mondial des douanes

Programme of the Council SessionsProgramme des Sessions du Conseil

WCON° 51

OCTOBER 2006

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W O R L D C U S T O M S O R G A N I Z A T I O N • W W W . W C O O M D . O R G

SPECIAL REPORT

› COUNCIL SESSIONS

En route towards the future

Council 2006

› HARMONIZED SYSTEM

2007 Version

› INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

New Customs environment

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W C O N E W S I N ° 5 1 I O C T O B E R 2 0 0 6 1

N° 51

OCTOBER 2006

Publishing Manager

Michel Danet

Editor-in-Chief

Danielle Maiano

Editor

Grant Busby

Laure Tempier

Advertisements & Sales

Catherine Ogier

Subscriptions

Janine Olivier

Electronic addresses

Editorial & Subscriptions

[email protected]

Sales & Advertising

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Publisher

World Customs Organization

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Tel.: +32 (0)2 209 94 42

Fax: +32 (0)2 209 92 62

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.wcoomd.org

WCO News is distributed free of charge to Customs administrations, international orga-

nizations, non-governmental organizations, the business community and other interes-

ted readers. It should be mentioned that opinions expressed in WCO News are those of

the contributors and do not necessarily reflect the official views of the World Customs

Organization. Contributions in French or English are welcome but should be submitted

not later than 1st December 2006. In this regard, the WCO reserves the right to publish,

not to publish, or to edit articles to ensure their conformity with the magazine’s editorial

policy. The WCO Communication Service is available to attend to all requests for subs-

criptions, submission of contributions for consideration, and any other enquiries relating

to WCO News. Please e-mail [email protected]

D/2006/0448/45

Copyright © 2006 World Customs Organization.

All rights reserved. Requests and inquiries concerning translation, reproduction and

adaptation rights should be addressed to [email protected]

Design : www.inextremis.be

Acknowledgements: The Editorial Team wishes to express its sincere gratitude to

all of those having contributed to this publication.

Pictures: Our sincere gratitude also goes to all those having kindly provided photos,

logos and drawings to illustrate this issue.

Calendar 2

Editorial 3

Flash Info 4

Special report 9

Readers’ contributions 20

Close up 27• Department of Sri Lanka Customs

In conversation 28• Interview with Chriticles Mwansa, Director of Tariff and Trade Affairs,

on the Harmonized System 2007

• Interview with Intikhab Shaik, Chairperson of the WCO Information Management Sub-Committee

Instruments 32• Columbus programme progresses

• High Level Ad Hoc Group on Harmonized System matters

• Ratifications of the Revised Kyoto Convention

Events 37• “Counterfeiting, no thanks!” Exhibition, Lille (France)

• World Customs Exhibition, Brussels (Belgium)

• “The fight against counterfeiting concerns us all!” Exhibition, Brussels (Belgium)

• Free Zone Convention, Geneva (Switzerland)

• AKJ IPCrime Congress 2006, Brussels (Belgium)

• Regional Congress on Combating Counterfeiting and Piracy, Bucharest (Romania)

• ”Customs: Towards an Open Knowledge World” Exhibition, Bangkok (Thailand)

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C A L E N D A R

Upcoming events: 4-8 March 2007: IATA World Cargo Symposium 2007, Mexico City (Mexico)

25 - 27 April 2007: 2007 WCO IT Conference and Exhibition, Veracruz (Mexico)

May 2007: 2nd Joint WCO/OECD Conference on Transfer Pricing

WCO E-commerce Developments Training Workshop (English)

5 - 6 June 2007: Training Workshop: Harmonized System for Chemical products (English)

Calendar of EventsPlease note that the meetings mentioned for information purposes are not all open to the public. Unless otherwise indicated,

all meetings are held in Brussels. Please note that these dates are indicative only and may be subject to change. This

document is regularly updated on the WCO Members’ Web site, under the “Meetings” section, and on the WCO Events Web site:

http://events.wcoomd.org

OCTOBER

2 - 13 > Harmonized System Committee (38th Session)

16 - 17 > Global Information and Intelligence Strategy (GIIS) Project Group (5th Meeting)

17 - 18 > Private Sector Consultative Group

19 - 20 > High Level Strategic Group

23 - 27 > Technical Committee on Customs Valuation (23rd Session)

30 - 31 > High Level Ad Hoc Group on Harmonized System Matters (2nd Meeting)

NOVEMBER

2 - 3 > Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Task Force

7 - 8 > Training Workshop: Harmonized System for High Technology Products (English)

7 - 8 > Administrative Committee for the Customs Convention on Containers, 1972 (9th Session)

8 - 10 > National Seminar on Counterfeiting and Piracy, Dakar (Senegal)

9 - 10 > Administrative Committee for the Istanbul and ATA Conventions (7th Session)

14 - 15 > IATA Passenger Facilitation Summit 2006, Budapest (Hungary)

20 - 1/12 > Harmonized System Review Sub-Committee (34th Session)

21 - 22 > Training Workshop: Rules of Origin (English/French)

23 - 24 > Training Workshop: Customs Valuation (English)

DECEMBER

5 - 7 > Policy Commission (56th Session), Chennai (India)

7 - 8 > PanEuropean Intellectual Property Summit, Brussels IP 2006 (EU/European Parliament, WIPO)

11 - 13 > Working Group on Commercial Fraud (2nd Meeting)

JANUARY 2007

15 - 19 > Scientific Sub-Committee (22nd Session)

26 > International Customs Day

29 - 2/02 > Information Management Sub-Committee (52nd Session)

30 - 31 > Third Global Congress on Combating Counterfeiting and Piracy, WIPO/WCO/Interpol, Geneva (Switzerland)

January > Meeting of Members of the North Africa, Near and Middle East Region, Yemen

FEBRUARY 2007

1 - 2 > Meeting of Members of the Europe Region, Budapest (Hungary)

5 - 6 > Technical Committee on Rules of Origin (25th Session)

8 - 9 > Regional Seminar: Counterfeit Drugs, Baku (Azerbaijan)

13 - 14 > Training Workshop: Harmonized System General Interpretative Rules (English)

19 - 23 > Training Workshop: WCO Diagnostic Framewor (English)

20 - 22 > EastWest Institute Fourth Annual Worldwide Security Conference

26 - 2/03 > Enforcement Committee (26th Session)


E D I T O R I A L

Dear Reader,

The Council sessions are always an important time in the life of our Organization.

The June 2006 sessions were no exception, and following the decisions taken by

the Council we now find ourselves with new challenges, a very full calendar of

work, and deadlines to be met in order to progress in all of our work areas: security

and facilitation of trade, combating counterfeiting, drugs ....

The international Customs community has embarked upon a process of large-scale

modernisation aimed at building capacity in administrations to respond to threats

so as to decrease vulnerabilities and, subsequently, anticipate threats in order to

deploy resources to the best possible effect and achieve results efficiently. It will

not be possible to achieve this ambition without close co-operation among all

those concerned.

We find ourselves at a defining moment, where we are witnessing the emergence

of a new generation of Customs administrations which have really taken on board

the new technologies that are spawning a virtual Customs and trading environment. The Customs culture

must change in order for Customs to take its place in this virtual universe and live up to the performance

objectives that have been identified. Our Customs administrations really have entered the 21st Century.

Nothing will be achieved without the participation of all those concerned, and the Directors General who

came together at the Council sessions pledged their support by adopting a Resolution on the Framework

of Standards which lays down guidelines for the implementation of the WCO strategy in this area.

The departure of Pravin Gordhan from the Chair, and the arrival of the Director General of Finnish

Customs, Tapani Erling, elected by his fellow Customs Heads, marked the end of one era for the WCO and

the beginning of another.

I would like to express my warmth and gratitude towards Pravin, and thank him sincerely for his brilliant

handling of the rôle of Chairperson over the past four years. Without his drive, and his determination to

raise more than 160 WCO Members to new levels, the Organization would surely not have attained the

high profile it now enjoys on the international scene.

This edition reports on all of these issues, and I hope you enjoy reading it.

Michel Danet

Secretary General


F L A S H I N F O

Drugs... The trafficking of drugs is an

extremely damaging international phenom-

enon, adversely affecting all nations, but par-

ticularly impacting on those societies and peo-

ple who are most vulnerable to exploitation by

organised criminal groups. Fighting this scourge

will contribute directly towards international

enforcement efforts, the security of the interna-

tional trade supply chain, and strategies to stem the harmful narcotics trade.

The latest WCO Customs and Drugs Report 2005 considers the analysis of seizures on a

regional basis and includes a brief global overview on each of the main drug categories in

order to provide information on the current production and trafficking trends not identified

in the analysis. Particular emphasis has been placed on the illegal trade in opiates, opium,

cocaine, cannabis, psychotropic substances which constitute the main drug types. During

2005 significant seizures included: almost 5 tonnes of heroin; 49 tonnes of plain cocaine;

301 tonnes of cannabis resin; 71 tonnes of herbal cannabis; 7 tonnes of amphetamines;

and 2 tonnes of Ecstasy!

Tobacco... The illegal traffic in cigarettes continues to abrade government revenues and

harm society. Overall analysis demonstrates that tobacco and cigarette smuggling, includ-

ing counterfeit cigarette seizures, remains a growing global problem. Concerns have also

been raised that trans-national criminal organisations may be using this form of smuggling

to fund their operations.

The second WCO Customs and Tobacco Report 2005 presents an analysis of all reported

seizures and aims to provides a global overview of the tobacco smuggling phenomenon and

the initiatives undertaken to counteract this lucrative illegal trade. It also includes many

facts and figures, statistical analysis and the modi operandi prevalent among smugglers

specialising in this specific activity. During 2005 seizures of illicit consignments of ciga-

rettes exceeding 100,000 numbered 1,184 which translate into 2,194 million pieces!

Counterfeiting... The production of counterfeit and pirated products continues to

grow at an alarming rate and has reached intolerable proportions. This scourge which has

visible negative consequences for international trade, economic development, business

confidence, and the health and safety of citizens around the world has to be stopped as a

matter of priority.

The new Review of the Fight against Counterfeiting in 2004 was produced with the main objec-

tive of informing the consumer about the real dangers of these products and to raise their

awareness about the criminal industry that is so heavily involved in this illegal trade. These

efforts will, it is firmly believed, engender a sense of responsibility and mobilise support to

combat this empire of fraud, illusion, and deceit which places human lives at risk and wrecks

initiatives designed to promote economic and social prosperity. During 2004 there were more

than 4,000 reported cases involving the seizure of more than 166 million counterfeit or pirated

articles: the top 5 articles being fine leather goods; cigarettes; games and toys; CDs and DVDs;

and products of the textile sector! l

More information

[email protected]

Drugs, tobacco, and counterfeits ...the WCO’s annual reportsMembers of

the Americas and Caribbean region go online!

The WCO region for North

America, South America,

Central America and the

Caribbean launched a region-

al web site on 8 September

2006 following the election of

Alain Jolicoeur, President of the

Canada Border Services Agency,

as Chairperson of the region.

This web site will serve as a

vital communication and learn-

ing tool for the 30 Customs

administrations that make up

the region. It will also func-

tion as a key resource centre

for regional initiatives whilst

encouraging members to share

information and experiences

with one another. The web site

is accessible in English, French

or Spanish.

Both the members of the

WCO Asia Pacific region -

www.wcoasiapacific.org - and

the WCO East and Southern

Africa region - www.wcoesa.org -

are already online. l

More information

[email protected]

http://omd.americaribe.org

F L A S H I N F O


A life of service to Customs...

Mrs Irénée Abba-Tou, vice-chair of the WCO Technical Committee on Customs Valuation sadly

passed away on 14 July 2006.

After studying law in France and graduating with a Master in Law after four years, she followed

a basic Inspector Training Course at the French National School of Customs from 1979-1980.

During her career in the Customs administration of Burkina Faso, she occupied a number of

positions, culminating in her appointment as Director of Valuation and Investigation in March

2004.

Dynamic both at work and in her daily life, Irénée was appreciated for her competencies,

her kindness, and her courtesy. She will also be remembered for her valuable contribution

to international Customs issues and for representing her country with distinction at various

WCO Committees.

In memory of Irénée Abba-Tou, we should like to express our sincere condolences to her family, her friends, and her colleagues at the

Burkina Faso Customs administration. l

The Agreement on the use of the WCO’s distance learning

programme within the Shanghai Regional Training Centre was

signed on 29 June 2006 by Mr. Sun Songpu, Vice-Minister of

Chinese Customs, and Mr. Michel Danet, Secretary General of

the WCO, following the roll-out of the E-learning tool within

the Centre (13 to 17 June 2005).

The Vice-Minister took this opportunity to stress that the first

phase of using the E-learning programme had been a success,

with the standard modules supplied by the WCO being adapted

to meet regional requirements.

For over a year now, this

tool and the Customs train-

ing content have been a use-

ful addition to the curriculum

and the regional seminar pro-

grammes offered by Shanghai

Customs College. l

More information

[email protected]

http://learning.wcoomd.org/

China embarks on distance learning


F L A S H I N F O

Commodity description and coding using

the Harmonized System was at the core

of the regional seminar of the West and

Central African Customs services which

opened on 10 July 2006 in Ouagadougou

(Burkina Faso) at the WCO Regional

Training Centre.

Participants from Burkina Faso, Togo, the

Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Senegal,

Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Niger, Mali, and repre-

sentatives from the West African Economic

and Monetary Union (WAEMU) had the opportunity to dissect

and further understand the HS nomenclature with a view to

ensuring its better application later.

During the opening ceremony, the importance of the HS in

international trade was reinforced and more generally the

usefulness of training as a catalyst for efficiency in Customs,

efficiency which is central to the development of national

economies. Burkina Faso Minister of Finance and Budget,

Jean-Baptiste M.P. Compaore, in the presence of the Director

General of the Burkina Faso Customs administration, Antoine

Zoungrana, underlined the role of Customs collections which

contributed to the struggle against poverty.

During the five-day seminar, WCO trainers gave lectures

covering, among other things, the HS Convention, HS-related

recommendations, amendments to the HS which will become

effective from 1 January 2007, and the WCO E-learning pro-

gramme, notably the module dedicated to the HS. l

More information

[email protected]

E-LEARNING MODULE

Amendments to the Harmonized System

• Understand the relation between Harmonized System users’ needs and the amendments• Be familiar with the origin, nature and scope of the amendments• Utilize the search engine to determine which parts of the Nomenclature have been updated

+32 (0)2 209 94 90+32 (0)2 209 95 03

[email protected]

www.wcoomd.org

Be prepared for HS 2007!

Public price: 200ref. 151.02

To order, please contact the WCO Publications Service:

The Harmonized System...spotlight on the regional seminar in Ouagadougou

F L A S H I N F O


Installation of the E-learning programme in Pakistan

More and more Customs administrations are equip-

ping themselves with the WCO E-learning platform.

In addition to personalised management of its train-

ing policy, installation of the platform enables an

administration to adapt modules to local requirements, for example by

including aspects specific to national legislation or simply by translating the

modules into the language of a country.

The E-learning programme was

recently rolled out within the

Pakistan Customs Administration.

This mission provided an opportu-

nity to train teachers and techni-

cal staff from the Karachi Customs

Institute in the instructional meth-

ods for distance learning.

The active involvement by senior

staff from the “Central Board of

Revenue (CBR)” during this first

phase will make it possible, in the

medium term, to give all Customs

officers access to the E-learning pro-

gramme.

Senior staff from the Pakistan Customs Administration have devised a very

ambitious strategy and would actually like this training solution to be at the

heart of their human resources development policy. The successful imple-

mentation of the innovative virtual Customs network programme (PACCS)

means that rapid roll-out is likely in all the country’s Customs offices.

The Pakistani team from the Directorate of Research and Training in Karachi,

responsible for national roll-out using the platform installed in the country’s

economic capital, has already started to promote this new tool throughout

the Customs service. As a result, the installation of the programme within

the Customs Institute is already generating widespread enthusiasm.

The implementation of the first phase of the project demonstrated the

dynamism and professionalism of a team which is motivated and commit-

ted to promoting a vision of a modern and proactive administration. l

For more information

[email protected]

http://learning.wcoomd.org

Syrian delegation visits the WCO

The Secretariat welcomed a visiting delegation

from the Customs administration of the Syrian

Arab Republic at WCO headquarters from 27-

28 July 2006. The leader of the delegation, Mr.

Souhail Istanboli, was accompanied by Lt. Colonel

Fisal Al Garbi, Colonel Hafez Ahmad, Mr. Ibrahim

Abdallah, Ms. Waad Marouf (interpreter), and Mr.

Arthur Dunlop (Customs Consultant).

Besides discussions on various international

Customs issues, during the visit the delegation

were also briefed on a number of WCO instru-

ments and programmes. These briefings includ-

ed the WCO Regional Intelligence Liaison Offices

(RILO), the Customs Enforcement Network (CEN),

the Johannesburg Convention, the revised Kyoto

Convention, the Istanbul Convention, the Customs

Data Model, Customs valuation, the HS and its 2007

amendments, Origin, the Columbus Programme, the

SAFE Framework of Standards, Integrity, and the

WCO E-learning Programme.

It is hoped that the visit will provide Syria with the

necessary impetus to consider accession to more

WCO instruments and to become more actively

involved in WCO committees, programmes, and

regional affairs. l

More information

[email protected]

[email protected]


F L A S H I N F O

On 30 June 2006 a ceremony ratifying the “Headquarters Accord”

took place at WCO headquarters between Cameroon, host country

of the Regional Intelligence Liaison Office (RILO) for Central Africa,

and the WCO.

This ceremony follows a meeting of national RILO representatives

for West Africa which took place on Douala, Cameroon from 19-

20 April 2006 (See WCO News No. 50). The meeting was chaired

by Antoine Manga Massina, the Director General of Cameroon

Customs, and was attended by par-

ticipants from Burundi, Cameroon,

the Central African Republic, the

Republic of Congo, and Gabon.

WCO Secretary General, Michel

Danet, presided over the ceremo-

ny which was held as a result of

the recent successful efforts to re-

launch and restructure RILO Central

Africa. l

More information

[email protected]

RILO Central Africa re-launches itself

WCO reinforces its partnership with the private sector

During the Council sessions of June 2006, WCO Secretary General Michel Danet

and the President of the World BASC Organization (Business Anti-Smuggling

Coalition), Mayra Hernandez, signed a Letter of Intent which establishes a basis

for cooperation relating to the promotion of the WCO SAFE Framework of

Standards, its implementation, and other areas of mutual interest.

This cooperation is aimed at contributing to the security and facilitation of the

international trade supply chain and in addition, to socio-economic develop-

ment through the growth of commercial trade. Focus will be placed on seminars

and training programmes geared towards the trade community to promote the

implementation of the SAFE Framework of Standards, and to enhance coopera-

tion in this area between the private sector and Customs administrations in Latin

America.

The Letter of Intent will be reviewed within six months following its signature to

determine whether the partnership can be further enhanced. l

More information

www.wcoomd.org

www.wbasco.org


S P E C I A L R E P O R T C O U N C I L

Council

Sessions

These Council Sessions saw an abundance of both political deci-

sions and events. The 3rd World Customs Exhibition, inaugurat-

ed by Mr. Hervé Jamar, Secretary of State for the Modernisation

of Financial Affairs and the Fight Against Tax Fraud, was held at

the Brussels Sheraton Hotel just a few steps away from WCO

Headquarters.

At the same time, an educational exhibition entitled

“Counterfeiting, no thanks!” was held to raise public awareness

about the harmful effects of counterfeiting which is all too

often seen as harmless and thought of by most people as being

restricted to luxury goods.

Participants were honoured by the presence of Mr. Karel De

Gucht, the Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and

Development Co-operation on the second day of the Council

Sessions. His speech focused on the need for co-operation

between international organisations working in the security and

international trade domain, especially regarding the implemen-

tation of the WCO SAFE Framework of Standards. He stressed

and welcomed the WCO’s dynamic role in promoting Customs

administrations.

Finally, delegates elected Mr. Tapani Erling, Director General of

Finnish Customs, to the post of Chairperson of the Council and

re-elected Mr. Kunio Mikuriya as Deputy Secretary General.

Images capture the event over the next few pages! l



Council discussion topics and decisions The 107th/108th Council Sessions were held at WCO

Headquarters in Brussels from 29 June to 1 July 2006.

The discussions concentrated on the following points:

• Policy matters

• Panel discussions

• Elections and appointments

• Other business

Policy matters These focused on the topics discussed at the Policy Commission’s

55th Session :

• Security and facilitation of the supply chain

• Customs capacity building

• Trade facilitation negotiations

• Combating counterfeit and pirated goods

• HS matters

• The Strategic Plan

• Request by the European Commission to obtain Member

status

Delegates analysed the Report on the Fifth Meeting of the

High Level Strategic Group (HLSG), held in Shanghai (China) on

24 and 25 April 2006. Inter alia, the issues examined at that

Meeting were the future of the HLSG, Authorized Economic

Operator (AEO) status, the implementation of the WCO SAFE

Framework of Standards, capacity building within the Columbus

Programme, consultation with the private sector and the work

of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

These items were the subject of a Resolution inviting the WCO

Secretariat, the working bodies and Members to pursue and

strengthen their efforts and actions regarding these matters,

using detailed guidelines. The development of a new Appendix

to the Framework of Standards on combating counterfeiting

and piracy will be given priority status.

With regard to capacity building, the WCO’s activity in this respect

was greatly appreciated, as were the contributions and efforts by

donor countries and beneficiaries. It was suggested that Customs

Ministers be involved more fully in the approval/requests for assis-

tance procedures within the capacity building domain.

As for trade facilitation, the Secretariat must maintain its good

relations with the WTO and pursue its efforts to promote the

WCO. It will also have to compare the WTO’s legal texts with

the provisions of the Revised Kyoto Convention and inform

Members of the results of this analysis and any possible impli-

cations. Finally, it will have to set up a more active feedback

mechanism to receive impressions and proposals from Members

more systematically. For their part, Members will have to play a

greater role within the international negotiations.

In terms of combating counterfeiting and piracy, the Secretariat

has been instructed to conduct a detailed analysis of the latest

trends to give a greater understanding of the scale of the phe-

nomenon. It has to implement specific actions using existing

tools, based on an action plan for which the funding prospects

have to be examined. An analysis, within the legal framework of

the Johannesburg Convention, of the possibility of transmitting

nominal data is also needed.

With regard to the Harmonized System, the High Level Ad Hoc

Group will continue to examine issues relating in particular to

the implementation of HS decisions and the possible establish-

ment of an advance tariff ruling system at the WCO.

The Strategic Plan for 2006/2007 and 2008/2009 was adopted

and is available on the Public and Members’ Web sites. It will

continue to be reviewed annually to take account of perfor-

mance indicators for the objectives set.

Finally, the European Commission made a request to obtain

WCO Member status. This question will be re-examined by

the Policy Commission in December 2006 to enable a detailed

report to be prepared during the intercession..

Panel Discussions Two Panel Discussions led by private sector representatives

were held on two topics of vital importance for the interna-

tional Customs community.

The first, entitled “A better understanding of the international

trade supply chain” welcomed three speakers : Mr. Matthew

Vega, Senior Counsel of FedExpress Corporation, Mr. Barry

Saxton, Marketing Director of Barloworld Logistics and Mr. Fer

Van de Laar, Managing Director, Europe Office, International

Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) who in turn presented

their approach to the supply chain in the context of implemen-

tation of the SAFE Framework of Standards.

Mr. VEGA presented the future of the global express delivery

industry and the economic impact of the WCO SAFE Framework

of Standards. The key concept for business is access, with the

functional components of access being those of time, space

and information. The world is irreversibly committed to global

trade and to fast cycle logistics (FSL) which have the potential

to eliminate barriers caused by time and space. The two key

ingredients of FSL are the express industry itself, and the use of

information technology in formulating advanced supply chain

logistics.

Access is the catalyst for what Mr. Vega terms the “supply chain

revolution” which has led retailers and manufacturers to opt for

1 1


just-in-time supply schemes rather than relying upon extensive

inventories.

Finally, advance information is the cornerstone of the express

delivery industry and Customs can take advantage of that

information and populate its own advance cargo information

systems with this data in order to conduct risk assessments as

early as possible and to expedite cargo release procedures.

Mr. SAXTON described the impact of globalisation on supply

chains. He stated that supply chain and logistics management is

not a new concept. However, the globalisation of the economy

has extended the scope of supply chains and made them more

complex. Companies are constantly seeking a competitive

advantage and the supply chain is often the only distinguish-

able competitive advantage available to them. Thus it has been

noted that those who master the complexity of the global sup-

ply chain have been shown to achieve profits 73% higher than

those companies using simplistic methods. Global standards

and access to information will facilitate the movement of goods

and services in the global market place.

Customs should audit their supply chains to identify constraints

and bottlenecks. They have to work with companies who have

mastered the complexities of the modern supply chain.

Mr. VAN DE LAAR gave a presentation on supply chain security.

He referred to a recent article which said that many of the large

British manufacturers have moved to “just-in-time” practices.

The new globalisation has led to growth in the logistics industry.

Businesses are vulnerable to obstacles in the flow of contain-

erised freight. Often the necessary components are delivered

by several supply chains, aircraft parts being a good example.

A Boeing 747 contains almost 6 million parts produced and

shipped from every region of the globe. Globalisation requires

a tremendous amount of co-ordination between transport

modes, rendering the job of logistics very difficult.

Reliability, transparency and predictability are required for

smooth operations. It is also possible to construct a supply

chain triangle using security, safety and efficiency as the three

components.

These presentations were followed by a question and answer

session in which the speakers participated. If one had to sum

up the key message of this Panel Discussion which provided an

outside perspective on this problematic issue, it would be: the

importance of time, space and information and the partnership

between Customs and the private sector in an international

trade environment demanding flawless and secure logistics and

interoperability.

The second Panel Discussion was tasked with examining

how the advent of new technologies, especially E-learning, has

changed the approach to training.

Two speakers, Mr. Nader Nanjiani, Marketing Programs Manager

of the Internet Learning Solutions Group of Cisco Systems, and

Ms. Mia Vanstraelen, Director of Human Resources Learning,

IBM Europe, took the floor.

Mr. NANJIANI, who has been working in the E-learning domain

for over a decade, explained how CISCO has derived productiv-

ity and financial benefits from its E-learning programme and

how Internet learning can become a productivity catalyst for

an entire office ecosystem.

Because of upheavals in the Internet and telecommunications

industry, CISCO, like many firms in the “Technology” sector,

has had to reduce its costs. Training has been one area where

the costs/benefits ratio has had to be reduced and E-learning

offers solutions in this respect, especially given the number of

employees and partners.

The company has approximately 10,000 sales persons world-

wide in a variety of markets and lines of business. In addition,

there are over 100,000 partner networks in various businesses

and levels of partnership. This creates certain obstacles which

have to be overcome : large amounts of information found in

many locations, content frequently not organised for learners,

previous efforts not mapped to business objectives and, finally,

lack of development for account managers. E-learning offers

many potential benefits including increased sales productivity.

In the last analysis of cost savings (for financial year 2003),

CISCO saved US$ 142 million. It was estimated that for every

US$ 1 that was spent on E-learning, CISCO garnered US$ 16

in return.




Ms. VANSTRAELEN, responsible for learning, education and

training services, explained that the training domain at IBM cov-

ered all their aptitudes required. IBM Europe has incorporated

training in human resources programme; innovative learning

approaches have been devised and professional development

has been supported by an innovative E-learning solution.

IBM’s fundamental pillars of learning are : a diverse and excel-

lent workforce, workplace flexibility, performance strategy,

employees at the level demanded by clients, and company lead-

ers capable of achieving these objectives based on a defined

strategy. At IBM, 56% of training is done by E-learning and this

percentage is growing.

IBM has developed a structured approach to learning. It com-

prises the PARR (Prepare, Act, Reflect, Review) approach which

contains the different stages of training a new officer, a struc-

tured approach to learning content and resource management.

The use of Internet is part of this blueprint and enables each

officer to manage his/her own training path (level required Ë

officer’s level Ë gaps to be filled Ë learning roadmap).

These two presentations were followed by a question and

answer session in which the two speakers participated. If one

had to sum up the key message of this Panel Discussion which

provided an opportunity to tackle approaches to training

against a backdrop of new technologies, it would be: the impor-

tance of E-learning as a catalyst for a company’s productivity

within a cost reduction strategy defining performance objec-

tives in terms of human resource management.

Elections and appointments The results are contained in a summary table on page 18.

Other businessThe Council accepted the Indian Delegate’s proposal to host the

56th Session of the Policy Commission from 5 to 7 December

2006. l


O M D A C T U A L I T É S I N ° 5 1 I S E P T E M B R E 2 0 0 6 1 3



Council sessions

1 5





W C O N E W S I N ° 5 1 I O C T O B E R 2 0 0 6 1 7



2006/2007 NOMINATIONS – COUNCIL-WORKING BODIES-SECRETARIAT

COUNCIL Chairperson: T. ERLING (Finland)

POLICY COMMISSION

Members1: Council Chairperson, Vice-Chairpersons,

Argentina, Cameroon, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan,

Kazakhstan, Korea (Rep. of), Mexico, New Zealand, Saudi

Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom,

United States, Zambia.

Vice-Chairpersons: A. JOLICOEUR (Canada)

VC: E.N. DOKU (Ghana)

VC: J. NAGY (Hungary)

VC: V.P. SINGH (India)

VC: A.A. BATAYNEH (Jordan)

VC: E. TORERO (Rwanda)

FINANCE COMMITTEE

Membres: Australia, Brazil, France, Gabon, Germany,

Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Pakistan, Panama, Russia

(Federation of), Saudi Arabia, Spain, Switzerland,

Uganda, United Kingdom, United States.

Chairperson: R. LÜSSI (Switzerland)

VC: P. NDONG NGUEMA (Gabon)

PERMANENT TECHNICAL COMMITTEE Chairperson: M. WICKTOR (Sweden)

VC: C. BUYONGE (Kenya)

INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SUB-COMMITTEE Chairperson: A. SAHU (India)

VC: D. HUNT (Australia)

ENFORCEMENT COMMITTEE Chairperson: H. FRÖHLICH (Germany)

VC: B. THERON (South Africa)

TECHNICAL COMMITTEE ON RULES OF ORIGIN Chairperson: L. GHRAIRI (Ms) (Morocco)

VC: A. NACRO (Burkina Faso)

TECHNICAL COMMITTEE ON CUSTOMS VALUATION Chairperson: I. CREMER (United Kingdom)

VC: W. BALDWIN (Australia)

HARMONIZED SYSTEM COMMITTEE Chairperson: D. BECK (United States)

VC: H. KAIDA (Japan)

S. SANGARE (Côte d’Ivoire)

WP Ch S. SANGARE (Côte d’Ivoire)

HS REVIEW SUB-COMMITTEE Chairperson: P. JOFFRE (France)

VC: S. GRØNLIE (Norway)

SCIENTIFIC SUB-COMMITTEE Chairperson: I.S. REESE (United States)

VC: M.M. PARRAGA (Spain)

DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL K. MIKURIYA (Japan), re-elected

Key: VC : Vice-Chairperson, WP Ch : Working Party Chairperson

1 Until the closure of the 2nd ordinary session of the Council in 2007



issue both in terms of safety and an efficient trading system. In

order to achieve these objectives, it is essential that the capac-

ity of Member country administrations be developed.

W. N.: What strong message should be conveyed to the

international community and its partners ?

T. E. : I intend to maintain and further develop a situation where

the WCO offers a universal auditorium and a centre of exper-

tise, in which customs administrations, international businesses

and international constituent authorities and law enforcement

develop common solutions to common problems. l

WCO News congratulates Mr.Tapani Erling

on his election as the Chairperson of the

WCO Council and interviewed Mr. Erling

on his views on the WCO’s future perspec-

tives and challenges.

WCO News: The existing international environment sug-

gests a thorough reflexion about WCO issues. How do you

envisage the evolution of the WCO ?

Tapani Erling : WCO is becoming more and more important

as an international operator, since the core tasks of customs

administrations keep gaining importance on the agenda of

international politics. In a large organisation, Member countries

stress interests in different ways. For some, the most important

protection objects are the taxes and fees levied by Customs,

some aim at facilitating trade, and some strive to fight terror-

ism, drugs or other smuggling. So the demands are ever-increas-

ing although resources are limited. The fact is that all of these

tasks are important to the customs authorities of the Member

countries.

W. N.: What will be your priorities during your

Chairmanship ?

T. E. : Customs authorities do not operate in a void when imple-

menting objectives set for them by governments. The efficiency

of trade and logistics is a key factor in international economic

development. Fighting customs crimes, however, is a central

A new Chairperson for the Council


R E A D E R S ’ C O N T R I B U T I O N S

consequences of dealing in counterfeit goods. This true story

of the world’s fastest growing crime wave unmasks the

uncomfortable truth of the damage, and even death caused

by this booming industry whose illegal profits are often used

to fund international terrorism.

Based on interviews across the globe with victims, investiga-

tors and the people who sell counterfeits, the book reveals the

link between what we see as “innocent” fakes and organised

crime. Indeed, the author shows that counterfeiting is not just

The Burkina Faso Directorate General of Customs held its

third series of Open Days at the end of May 2006, focusing on

“safer global commerce through security and facilitation of

trade”. The aim was to raise awareness about Customs’ actions

among interested parties, partners and the public.

Several activities were scheduled and sports events, such as a

cross-country competition and a “Maracana” football tourna-

ment, were held.

This year’s theme reflected on one of the concerns currently

shared by Customs services the world over, namely “Customs

actions to secure and facilitate trade”.

During these information and communication days held

across the country, Customs explained the measures taken

to apply essential security and facilitation principles,

including:

• Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with some economic

operators, ensuring the latter enjoy certain benefits,

• The establishment of offices and units specialised in rapid

Customs clearance (vehicles, fuel) and a special airport unit,

• Application of the WTO Valuation Agreement and sub-

regional integration measures (WAEMU and ECOWAS),

• Modernization of the Administration, especially through auto-

mation (ASYCUDA ++), co-operation with national and inter-

national administrations, greater partnership with the private

sector and combating Customs fraud and corruption.

The aim of these provisions, whilst safeguarding revenue, is

to secure the supply chain against any terrorist threat and all

forms of transnational organized crime.

The theme chosen produced fruitful discussions and raised

everyone’s attention about the need for real co-operation

between Customs administrations and all their partners to

promote trade.

The Burkina Faso Customs Administration therefore hopes to

gain support from all the players in the “Customs chain” in order

to make security and facilitation of global trade a reality. It is

for that very reason that it has decided to implement the WCO

SAFE Framework of Standards and to build Juxtaposed National

Customs Control Offices at its borders with Togo, Ghana and Mali.

The Customs Administration took advantage of this third

series of Open Days for the official launch of its own Web site :

www.douanes.bf l

For more information

www.finances.gov.bf

www.douanes.bf

>> Customs Open Days in Burkina Faso

>> KNOCKOFF, the deadly trade in counterfeit goods

Counterfeiting is one of the fastest

growing industries in the world with an

estimated market worth more than US

Dollars 500 billion each year, or 7 per

cent of global trade!

Tim Phillips the author of the much

acclaimed book “Knockoff, the deadly

trade in counterfeit goods” exposes

the shocking reality behind the fakes and uncovers the ghastly


Centre for Customs & Excise StudiesUniversity of CanberraAustralia

Master ofInternational Customs Lawand Administration

Full Time and Part Time enrolments now being accepted.

Study online or on campus.

Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma courses also available.

[email protected]

+61 2 6201 5487

Australian Government Registered Higher Education Provider #00212K (University of Canberra)


a victimless crime; it is an illegal global industry undermining

the world’s economies.

Describing in detail how the counterfeiting criminal network

costs jobs, cripples developing countries, breeds corruption,

engenders violence, and kills thousand of people every year,

Tim Phillips demonstrates that by turning a blind eye to the

problem, we become accomplices to theft, extortion and mur-

der. This disturbing book will make you squirm in your seat if

you have ever purchased counterfeit goods.

There are no good counterfeits. Buying these products cor-

rodes health and safety and buying fake medicine or even

fake brake pads can kill. It is not just about fake hand bags,

counterfeit CD’s and imitation perfume; it is also about fake

meningitis vaccines, counterfeit baby food and bogus aircraft

parts!

In reviewing the book which won the Media Category at

the 2006 Global Anti-Counterfeiting Awards, WCO Secretary

General, Michel Danet, said: “...Tim Phillips’ book provides us

with a deeper insight into this knockoff economy which he so

aptly calls a criminal empire of huge proportions”, whilst Peter

Lowe, Director of the ICC Counterfeiting Intelligence Bureau,

commented that: “...This is a book that will inform, inspire and

alarm”.

Whilst researching his book, Tim Phillips travelled to

China, France and Russia with the support of the New York

Police Department, the Business Software Alliance and the

International Chamber of Commerce. He has written for The

Wall Street Journal Europe, the International Herald Tribune,

the Guardian, The Observer and The Sunday Times about busi-

ness, the internet and technology issues, and regularly appears

on BBC TV, BBC Radio and Sky News. l

WCO News readers purchasing this 256-page book

directly online from Kogan Page Publishers will obtain

a special 20% discount by entering the code MF213

before proceeding to the checkout.

More information

www.kogan-page.co.uk

[email protected]



For 25 years Philippe served as

Chief Editor for more than 20 pro-

fessional newsletters in the field

of innovation and new informa-

tion technologies; he was also

Deputy Chief Editor of Connectis,

the e-business supplement to the

Financial Times and Echos ; he recently set up his own

specialized editing company, Filactu ,which he intends

to place at the service of just and legitimate causes.

At its annual Council Sessions held in Brussels at the end of

June, the World Customs Organization (WCO) took a welcome

initiative to highlight and encourage the fight against counter-

feiting. On that occasion Michel Danet, Secretary General of the

Organization, awarded the WCO 2006 Trophy to Korea. This is

a prize which will in future be awarded on a yearly basis and is

aimed at giving due recognition to the Customs Administration

which has demonstrated particular excellence in combating

counterfeiting and piracy.

Korea was chosen on the basis of its real progress in combating

counterfeiting obtained through the creation of a highly effec-

tive risk analysis system dedicated to combating counterfeiting

and piracy (Spider System). In just a few years the country

has practically disappeared from world statistics on countries

exporting fake products and has moreover had a vast increase

in seizures of medicaments. Korea can also be singled out for

having more stringent legislation than that provided for in the

(WTO) World Trade Organization’s TRIPS legislation and for

being extremely active in the field of international cooperation

and exchange of information.

The WCO encountered difficulties in selecting a single laureate

from the 20 Customs Administrations competing for the Trophy

and therefore also decided to acknowledge three runners-up.

Hungary was first runner-up and was top of the list of new

Member States to the European Union as regards the num-

ber of counterfeit products seized. The Hungarian Customs

Administration has created a specialised unit to combat coun-

terfeit and pirated goods and has reinforced legal competence

to control both external borders and the internal market.

This award will certainly be welcomed by Laszlo Kovacs the

Hungarian European Commissioner for Taxation and Customs

Union.

Equal third place was then awarded to two administrations:

• Italy which achieved the best European seizure results in

2004 and has introduced a new risk analysis system known

as “Falstaff”; and

• France which is known for having the best anti-counterfeiting

legislation in the world and has significantly increased seizures

on the basis of a “target contract’. It enjoys excellent co-

operation with the private sector and has this year launched a

major public awareness campaign entitled “Counterfeiting, no

thanks!”. l

Philippe Collier

Publisher of “Contrefaçon Riposte”

>> Korea wins the 1st WCO Trophy

Yun-Kap Seong,

(Korean

Customs)

Janos Nagy

(Hungarian Customs)

Mario Andrea Guaiana

(Italian Customs)

and Philippe Kearney

(French Customs)



>> A personal note...





The Customs administration of Côte d’Ivoire has decided, for

two reasons, to profit from the e-learning facilities offered

by the WCO. There is nothing unusual about the first reason.

Training needs are increasing dramati-

cally as a result of the ever-growing

range of skills that field officers are

required to demonstrate in their day-

to-day work. The second reason is a

little more out of the ordinary. Most

training in Côte d’Ivoire is currently

being delivered by retired officers,

and while on the one hand they

are able to offer the fruits of their

experience, on the other they have a

tendency to teach outdated methods

or approaches at a time when change

is an increasingly frequent and funda-

mental part of modern life.

Côte d’Ivoire has intranet access through an internal network

and internet access at its Customs school and in certain

Customs offices. The strength of the e-learning facility which

has been installed lies, in particular, in the fact that the con-

tent is made available both via intranet and internet, with the

trainee database being shared. Also, there is immediate access

to the facility from the home page of the Customs website. The

successful introduction of this facility cannot be put down to

technical expertise alone. Being provided with a full computer-

ised list of trainees enabled them to be registered in the system

from day one.

More than ten heads of service have

been trained to use the trainee registra-

tion and monitoring tools. When they

decide that their staff should follow a

course of study, they will submit their

training path requests to the Director of

Training, but will monitor the progress of

each trainee themselves, so that where

necessary they can adjust the training

periods of staff who do not perform well

in the evaluation tests, or urge them to

put more effort into the training. The

Customs administration needed just one week of familiarisa-

tion to confidently operate this new training technology.

l

Marc Taib is the Chief Executive Officer of Animedia, the WCO’s

partner company for the e-learning programme.

More information

www.e-animedia.com

Counterfeiting? Just a short time ago I

wouldn’t have felt this had anything to

do with me, as I naively thought that

counterfeiting mainly affects the kinds

of luxury goods that I don’t buy anyway.

My internship with the WCO has shaken

my beliefs and opened my eyes. All kinds

of everyday products are counterfeited,

from toothpaste to pharmaceuticals, from

foodstuffs to mobile phone batteries, not

to mention FIFA World Cup footballs, caps

and scarves! Combating counterfeiting is

one of the WCO’s priorities, and it was through this topic that,

as a new intern with the Organization,

I was pitched straight into the world of

Customs.

The Communication Service, to which I

was assigned, was organising an exhibition

about counterfeiting alongside the WCO

Council Sessions, as part of the World

Customs Exhibition on Safer Trade through

Technology. I therefore worked, alongside

my new colleagues, on the preparations

for this event. Our main aim was to cap-

ture the visitors’ interest, so we worked hard to arrange the

>> Start of a vocation...by Perrine Tisserand

Marc Taib, Chief Executive Officer of

Animedia

>> Côte d’Ivoire embraces new training technology



counterfeit articles strategically in the display cases. This meant

placing certain counterfeit products, such as the famous « little

blue pills » for men, in just the right place to catch the eye.

My internship duties were not confined to the exhibition alone.

As the Communication Service lies at the heart of the WCO’s

operations and the promotion of its activities, I was able to

gain a comprehensive picture of all the missions assigned to

the Organization. In fact I soon found myself in the thick of the

action as preparations for the annual Council sessions gathered

pace, and this enabled me to move from theory to practice in

record time.

My colleagues in the dynamic, friendly Communications Service

had described the atmosphere of the Council sessions to me,

but the hustle and bustle at the WCO during that last week

of June has to be experienced to be believed. This fantastic

experience, made special by the international dimension of

the Organization, also helped me understand how important

Customs administrations are to the economic and social well-

being of nations.

In an environment dominated by talk of opening borders and

removing Customs barriers, it would be all too easy to dismiss

Customs as obsolete, but the WCO, with its missions and its

169 Members, is proof to the contrary.

This internship, which has been a truly fulfilling experience

both professionally and personally, could not have gone so well

without the warm welcome I received from all the staff of the

WCO, including first and foremost the Communications Service.

I should therefore like to thank all those who have helped me

to enjoy this six-week insight into the exciting life of the 21st

Century Customs officer. l

Presentation

The department of Sri Lanka Customs was established on the 14th

of June in 1809. Its mission is to enforce the Customs law and

other laws concerning Revenue and Social Protection, while facili-

tating the trade, travel and industry with the objective of contrib-

uting to the national effort and in due recognition thereof.

To achieve its missions, the Department of Sri Lanka Customs has

the following objectives:

• To ensure proper enforcement of tariff, trade and social protection

laws of the State, at the frontiers

• To ensure uninterrupted revenue generation for the State, col-

lection of due revenue and timely and proper accounting thereof

• To be an advisory body to policy makers in determining the

revenue and trade policies of the State, to be implemented at

the frontiers

• To facilitate the flow of passengers, goods and related means

of transport at the frontiers, while ensuring compliance with all

national and international obligations

• To enhance the exchange of information and other related mat-

ters

• To disseminate information and provide trade statistics to the

State and the public

• To actively support all State endeavors by offering; a client

friendly, specialised and professional services

Project:

In order to

provide better

facilities and to

modernise the

Customs service, construction of a new Customs Head quarters

started recently. The 14 floor building will include state-of-the art

ICT facilities, a modern auditorium, a well-equipped training acad-

emy, and a modern Customs laboratory, and a museum.

Sri Lanka is a Member of:

• South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)

• Indo - Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement

• Global Systems of Trade Preference (GDTP)

• SAARC Preferential Trade Agreement (SAPTA)

• SAPTA - Least Developed Countries (LDCs)

Contacts :

Director General: Mr. S.AC.S.W.Jayathilaka

Director General of Customs

Appointed on the 17th September

2002

Official Address : Sri Lanka Customs

Customs House

Bristol Street

P .O. Box: 518

Colombo 01

Sri Lanka

General Contact point : M. P.D.K. Fernando

Director of Customs

Policy Planning & Research Division

Tel: + 94112446361

Fax: + 94112446361

E-mail: [email protected]

Web site: www. customs.gov.lk

Staff numbers of the Administration

Current Staff: 1941

Projected Staff: 2400

International Conventions signed by Sri Lanka relating to

customs matters:

• Member of WCO since: 29 May 1967

• Harmonized System: 03 May 1988

• Kyoto: 19 December 1984

• WTO Valuation agreement: 01 January 1995

• ATA: 14 July 1981

• Nairobi: 19 December 1984

• Exhibition and Fairs: 14 July 1981

• Professional Equipment: 25 May 1991

• Scientific Equipment: 25 May 1991

• Pedagogic Material: 25 May 1991

DEPARTMENT OF SRI LANKA CUSTOMS

C L O S E - U P


General information:

Sri Lanka: island

Capital: Colombo

Area: 65 610 km2

Population: 20, 4 million

Money : Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR)

Official Languages: Sinhalese,

Tamil and English

National day: 4 February

More information: www.customs.gov.lk


I N C O N V E R S A T I O N

As the date for the implementation of

HS 2007 draws nearer, WCO News

spoke to Chriticles Mwansa, WCO

Director of Tariff and Trade Affairs,

about the preparations that were

underway given the significant

impact that this new version of the

HS will have on goods being traded

globally with effect from 1 January

2007.

WCO News: In a matter of months, HS 2007 will become the

latest standard for classifying goods across the world. Could

you briefly inform our readers about the preparations since

the Council last met at WCO Headquarters?

Chriticles Mwansa: During the June 2006 sessions of the WCO

Council, the Secretary General stated that “...the WCO is now

responsible for an important new area of work, namely to ensure

implementation of the 2007 version of the Harmonized System

by Customs services and the private sector and I urge all WCO

Members to take the necessary initiatives at national level given

the importance of this instrument to international trade.”. In this

respect, all the requisite instructional tools have been prepared by

the Secretariat and the new version was launched in Brussels at a

global event that took place from 26 to 27 September 2006.

Six regional capacity building seminars focusing on HS 2007 have

also been planned to facilitate understanding of the new version

and thereby ensure its smooth implementation. To date, seminars

have been held in the Asia/Pacific, the West and Central Africa,

and the East and Southern Africa regions with India, Burkina Faso

and South Africa serving as host countries. Similar seminars will

be held in the other three WCO regions during the later part of

this year. HS training programmes at national level have also been

conducted in Chile, Fiji and Peru.

W. N: To implement a new Customs tariff and statistical

nomenclature is a rather complicated and time-consuming

task for both the Secretariat and for WCO Members. Could

you tell us a little about the activities that the Secretariat

has undertaken in preparation for HS 2007?

C. M. : This is the fourth time that the HS is being amended since

its entry into force in 1988, though it is only the third to make

major amendments to the nomenclature. HS 2007 contains 354

sets of amendments and as you can imagine, this has meant an

enormous amount of preparatory work for the Secretariat to sup-

port the implementation of the new version.

The Correlation Tables have been available since December 2005 in

hard copy and via the internet; English, French and Russian versions

of the HS 2007 Nomenclature have been prepared and are on sale

in hard copy and on CD-ROM, the booklet ‘Amendments to the

Harmonized System Nomenclature effective from 1 January 2007’

which explains all the amendments and which contains other use-

ful information about the amendments has been printed and is

also available from the WCO Publications Service, and the 2007

version of the HS Explanatory Notes were recently printed and are

available in a new format and in new binders.

Besides the HS 2007 material that I have mentioned, the bilingual

version of the 2007 Nomenclature is now also ready and other

HS 2007 related publications, such as the Alphabetical Index; the

Compendium of Classification Opinions; the HS Commodity Data

Base and the Laboratory Guide are in the process of being finalised.

In addition, an e-learning module on the 2007 amendments has

been developed and the more comprehensive e-learning modules

on the HS will be updated in accordance with HS 2007 later this

year.

W. N: There are currently 125 Contracting Parties to the HS

Convention. Considering that the amendments are sched-

uled for implementation on 1 January 2007, what efforts

are being undertaken to ensure timely implementation of

HS 2007?

C. M. : Indeed, a major part of the work of implementing the 2007

version of the HS falls on the Contracting Parties each of which will

have to amend its Custom tariff and statistical systems, which for

most involves a legislative process.

A great deal of work is involved in translating the amendments,

not only the Nomenclature amendments but also the conse-

quential amendments to the Explanatory Notes, into languages

other than English or French. In this respect it is to be noted that

a single version in Russian was presented to the HS Committee at

its last session in March 2006 and Russian speaking countries were

encouraged to use that single version.

Negotiations with other government agencies to adjust tariff rates;

publishing the amended tariff and statistical publications and

revising regulations and databases are other tasks that Contracting

Parties will also face.

Harmonized System 2007 ...the final countdown



For WTO Members, the list of tariff concessions must also be trans-

posed into HS 2007 and this is of some concern to the Secretariat,

since many countries have not yet finalised the transposition of

their tariff concessions into HS 2002! While this might not neces-

sarily be a Customs task, all Customs administrations should stay

in close contact with their national authority dealing with WTO

issues. In fact, more active participation by Customs administra-

tions in WTO-related work might prove beneficial.

Last, but not least, training and public information campaigns are

also required to ensure a smooth transition to the new version of

the HS.

W. N: 1 January 2007 is an important future date for the

international Customs and trade communities. How is the

implementation of HS 2007 proceeding?

C. M. : The Secretariat has, of course, been monitoring imple-

mentation across the world and from our technical assistance

missions to WCO Member administrations, we have noted that

implementation of the 2007 version of the HS appears to be

proceeding well and on time.

I may also mention that during its last session the HS

Committee also took stock of the situation and it was quite

THE HARMONIZED SYSTEM

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Public price: 30 - ref. 153 (hard copy) - 601 (CD-ROM)

The Amendments to the HS 2007 Nomenclature

All the legal texts of the amendments scheduled to enter into force on 1 January 2007, complemented by brief explanations about their background, nature and scope.

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+32 (0)2 209 94 90

[email protected]

+32 (0)2 209 95 03

www.wcoomd.org

clear from most speakers that a significant amount of work had

already been done with no particular problems being foreseen.

The Secretariat will, however, continue to monitor the situation

and follow up on the issue at the October 2006 session of the

HS Committee.

W. N: This whole package of amendments will ensure that

the HS remains up to date for the years to come despite

rapidly changing product features. Do you have any final

comments to make to our readers?

C. M. : An efficient Customs service is vital to national eco-

nomic development and social prosperity across the globe. A

Customs tariff that reflects the latest developments in trade

patterns and product technology is an indispensable tool to

attain national objectives and it should not be forgotten that

all Contracting Parties have the obligation to implement the

amendments by 1 January 2007. In this respect the Secretariat

is prepared to provide all necessary assistance, but the ball

is now in the court of our Members and other users of the

Harmonized System! l

More information

www.wcoomd.org



The new technology environment is

a challenge for Customs administra-

tions as they are now obliged to

review their working methods in order

to respond to the constraints gen-

erated by the current international

trade system due to globalization.

Given this scenario, the use of new

technology is becoming vital and is being presented as one of

the driving forces behind the development and modernisation

of Customs.

WCO News spoke to Intikhab Shaik, outgoing Chairperson of

the Information Management Sub-Committee and Head of

Business Systems at the South African Revenue Service, who

kindly agreed to tell us more about the work of the sub-com-

mittee, the complexity of the issues under discussion, and, in

particular, his vision for the Customs community on these mat-

ters for the years ahead.

WCO News: As the Chairperson of the Information

Management Sub-Committee could you briefly describe

the role of this sub-committee and its current important

projects?

Intikhab Shaik : The key role of the IMSC is to set a standard

operating framework for design, development and maintenance

of Information and Communication Technology within Customs

Administrations internationally. The key objectives of this effort

include:

• Codification and standardisation of rules, data require-

ments and design methodologies by means of the Kyoto ICT

Guidelines;

• Supporting trade facilitation through standardisation and

maximum usage of minimum data;

• Ensuring that best practises are shared, thus allowing WCO

Members to learn from the experience of others in order to

better manage ICT implementation endeavours;

• Aligning work on ICT issues in committees of other organisa-

tions such as the WTO with the work being undertaken at the

WCO;

• Keeping abreast of ICT developments and changes in the

environment and ensuring their subsequent inclusion in the

operating framework.

These efforts are epitomised within the following key projects:

• The WCO Customs Data Model, specifically version 3, which

includes other government departments, augmentation of

transit and further refinement of the previous versions of the

model;

• Encouraging, participating in, monitoring and learning from

pilot projects on the UCR in order to constantly update and

keep fresh this extremely important concept;

• Exploration into and development of a standard for the Single

Window Concept;

• Constant updating and modernisation of the Kyoto ICT

Guidelines;

• Practical defragmentation of capacity building in relation to

ICT and establishement of a simple codified base on the basics

of ICT Management.

W. N: In your opinion, how are Customs administrations

adapting themselves to this new technology environ-

ment?

I. S : At the outset it must be stated that the technology envi-

ronment is not new but the key challenge is that change within

the environment happens at a rapid pace. Within this context

different Customs administrations are at differing levels of

adaptation, however there is certainly a common realisation and

acceptance that in the fight against terrorism, organised crime

and generally unscrupulous entities - which is compounded

by trade liberalisation, proliferation of trade agreements and

pressure to provide efficient service - ICT has a vital role to play

in the ultimate goal of balancing trade administration, trade

facilitation and security.

In mitigation of these very real challenges, Customs administra-

tions have turned to ICT within these broad areas:

• Use of non-intrusive inspection technology;

• Electronic exchange of information;

• Providing electronic channels for communication, processing

Customs declarations, and other Customs requirements;

• Risk profiling, case management and ultimately risk manage-

ment.

Conclusively, ICT is viewed as a positive necessity but comes with

its own challenges, including the improvement of personnel skills

and in many instances the skills of the trade and clients, the abil-

ity to manage and deploy large-scale ICT implementation, and

Infrastructural, financial and adoption constraints.

W. N: Looking towards the future, what do you consider

in your vision to be the next action steps and future pros-

pects for the WCO in this domain and what will be the

repercussions for WCO Members?

I. S : In order to establish the role of any organisation within

the context of ICT, one has to first appreciate that in as much as

this very powerful tool can bring operational efficiency, tighter

Managing the future through Information Technology



governance and improved

service, it comes with its

own conundrum of compli-

cations and choices which

cover, amongst others the

following:

• ICT is a rapidly changing and highly volatile environment;

• there are various options with regard to the choice of technol-

ogy and more importantly the ICT strategy;

• there are divergent methods of implementation;

• depending on volume, location, ICT topology and other criteria

there are major demands on infrastructure;

• Customs administrations as well as members of the trade are at

different levels of adoption with respect to ICT tools.

Considering this, the WCO and its membership has a pivotal role

to play in bringing to fruition the positive benefits of ICT usage

whilst managing the possible pitfalls of such usage. This role can

be either established or augmented in the following ways and

areas:

• Playing a greater role in helping Customs administrations to set

up and manage wide-scale technology tenders and the subse-

quent implementation and management of such projects - this

would include establishing a standard format and even possibly

certifying available systems and tools;

• Setting standards and managing compliance with these stan-

dards;

• Deriving from the data model, the Kyoto ICT Guidelines, the

SAFE Framework of Standards and more generally the revised

Kyoto Convention a standard set of operating procedures and

business rules for different Customs processes such as import

and export processing, transit and warehousing which would

form the standard core of any Customs system;

• Keeping abreast of international developments and ensuring

that Customs have an ICT framework that is at the point where

maximum usage can be gained from the investment;

• Continuing the excellent work on the key projects that are

already on the agenda.

W. N: Do you have any other thoughts that you would like

to share with readers of the magazine?

I. S : Customs has a major role to play within trade adminis-

tration, trade facilitation and security. In fact it is the nation’s

gatekeeper. This role includes anti-terrorism, anti-smuggling

and general protection efforts against tariff misuse, valuation

fraud, checking standards, and environmental necessities such

as health requirements.

It is obvious that ICT has a substantial contribution to make

to the cause but ultimately the final accountability lies on the

shoulders of the Customs officer that is entrusted with the

responsibility. Customs officers must take full ownership of

this accountability and ensure that any tools we have at our

WCO CUSTOMS DATA MODEL

NEW VERSION!

The WCO Customs Data Model Handbook Version 2.0

A valuable source of information for those involved in modelling and implementing Customs procedures in an electronic environment.



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[email protected]

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disposal are in fact tools and not Customs officers and must be

deployed and used in a responsible, professional and optimal

manner. It is therefore essential that we therefore take full

accountability for the life-cycle of these tools which includes:

the proper design, development and testing; optimal implemen-

tation and usage; and gaining the necessary knowledge through

training and self development in order to make maximum use

of their functionality.

Trade perfection and travel pleasure is what we strive to achieve

but in throwing down the gauntlet to those entities who wish

to tamper with this nirvana, ICT is a partner we must embrace

with open arms but manage with a tight fist.

Good luck with all your endeavours and remember there are

not many older, more important or fulfilling professions than

being a Customs officer! l

More information

www.wcoomd.org


I N S T R U M E N T S

The Framework of Standards (FoS), which was unanimously

adopted by the WCO Council in June 2005, constitutes a com-

mitment made by the international Customs community and

its partners to improve the security and facilitation of interna-

tional trade, revenue collection and economic growth. It is also

aimed at strengthening the partnership between Customs and

trade, and promoting Customs-to-Customs co-operation.

Implementation of the “WCO SAFE Framework of Standards”

involves building sustainable capacity in Customs administra-

tions.

With this aim in view, the WCO Secretariat has prepared and

developed a series of tools to assist Customs administrations

with their capacity building activities:

• A Self-Assessment Checklist,

• WCO Diagnostics Framework Facilitators’ workshops,

• The addition of a new section in the Diagnostic Framework

covering the FoS,

• A model business case,

• An action plan.

This 21st Century WCO Capacity Building initiative was offi-

cially named the “WCO Columbus Programme” on 26 January

2006, on the occasion of International Customs Day.

This global capacity building plan to support implementation

of the WCO FoS is co-ordinated by the WCO Capacity Building

Directorate.

Some figures

Customs Members who have indicated their intention to

implement the Framework of Standards (FOS)

Ë 137 Members have signed the Letter of Intent

Regional distribution of beneficiary countries of the

Columbus Programme

Ë 103 Members are and will benefit from a diagnostic (esti-

mate).

Regional distribution of countries who have returned the

Self-Assessment Checklist

Ë 76 countries have completed the Self-Assessment Checklist

and returned it to the WCO. The Checklist provides a means

of assessing the organisation and operation of a Customs

administration prior to any further diagnostic activity.

Security and Facilitation in a Global Environment Columbus programme progresses



Initial status report of the Programme on 15th

September 2006

Ë 33 diagnostics had been conducted: 19 by the

Secretariat and 14 by Members

Ë Estimate :

• at 31 December 2006, 83 diagnostics would have been con-

ducted ; 36 by the Secretariat and 47 by Members,

• at 30 June 2007, 103 diagnostics would have been con-

ducted : 52 by the Secretariat and 51 by Members.

A diagnostic would have been carried out in all the requesting

Members by the June 2007 Council Sessions. To achieve this, the

Secretariat will have played a vital co-ordination role with the

many sponsoring Members.

The Framework was also an instrument reflecting

solidarity between WCO Members, since it has given

rise to significant financial and technical sponsorship

through voluntary contributions and diagnostic mis-

sions conducted by some Members.

The WCO Secretariat is now also heavily involved in helping

WCO Members with capacity building implementation (Phase 2

of the Columbus Programme), Action Planning Workshops and

consultation meetings, Integrity Seminars, SAFE Framework

of Standards Seminars, e-learning modules, and Diagnostic

Framework Facilitator Workshops. l

More information

www.wcoomd.org

[email protected]

ODASCE was set up in 1972 to facilitate and simplify for-eign trade. It is listed as a facilitation body in the UNECE database and is a member of EUROPRO. ODASCE has around a hundred members, and runs introductory and advanced training courses for two thousand people a year on customs and tax issues in international trade. ODASCEalso stimulates debate on current issues – eg the moderni-sation of the EU’s Customs Code and its implementation provisions – through its standing committees.

Every two years ODASCE organises a European Customs Conference. The next one will be held in Lyon on 18 and 19 October 2007, on the theme “How can business and government departments work together to maximise com-pany competitiveness in international trade?”. Other events include the ‘Club CLE-DOUANE’ seminars in France aimed at promoting discussion on topical subjects between busi-ness and government departments.

The international trade environment is changing dra-matically as a result of two developments – computeri-sation; and the requirement for secure and traceable documentary and physical processes.Against this background, business finds it increasingly hard to stay competitive in the international trade arena. Any change requires investment in both staff and infrastructure, and has to be properly evaluated and programmed.

The current challenge for business is to make a whole series of paperless systems work together without jeopardising either its competitiveness or the legiti-mate roles of public administrations responsible for controlling trade.In the field of customs, this requires the implementation of a set of customs standards and tools that are legally appro-priate for their purpose (BTI, AEO, Origin, etc).International supply chains need a common language based on a grammar and IT syntax defined by UN-CEFACT standards and WCO recommendations.

But there is still a lack of trust and confidence on the international stage, and above all no system for the mutual recognition and validation of authorisations and simplifications granted at different points in the global supply chain.

ODASCE Association loi 1901Office de Développement par l’Automatisation et la Simplification du Commerce Extérieur *79, rue du Faubourg Poissonnière F-75009 PARIS www.odasce.asso.fr

* Office of development through automation and simplification of foreign trade



THE CUSTOMS COMPENDIUMS

The Harmonized System, a universal language for international trade

This international goods nomenclature is being used by more than 200 countries and Customs or Economic Unions across the globe and currently regulates almost 98% of world trade. With the new version of the Harmonized System coming into force on 1 January 2007, this Customs compendium is the perfect guide for those who have a stake in international business affairs today.


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[email protected]

www.wcoomd.org

A unique collection of topical customs themes

Public price: 35ref. 23.07

At its 54th Session in December

2005 the WCO Policy

Commission established

a High Level Ad Hoc

Group on HS mat-

ters. The Group

was mandated to

deal with the implementa-

tion of Harmonized System Committee

decisions, and to study the possibility of

establishing an advance tariff ruling system

at the WCO.

The Group held its 1st Meeting under the able

chairmanship of Mr D. Poll from the Swiss Customs

administration. Fifteen WCO Members, nominated by the

regional Chairpersons of the Council, 7 interna-

tional organisations and several private sec-

tor representatives attended the meeting.

On the issue of implementation of

HS Committee decisions, the Group

discussed possibilities for improving

the implementation process; how

to ensure that HS classification dis-

putes were submitted to the HS

Committee and not to other bodies

such as the WTO for example; and

whether the private sector should be in

a position to submit classification requests

directly to the HS Committee.

In its preliminary analysis, the Group noted that:

• Amendment of the HS Convention to make implementation

of HS Committee decisions compulsory would pose a number

of difficulties;

• HS Committee decisions published on the WCO’s public web

site should have a more prominent position to enable easier

consultation by users;

• The WCO Members’ web site should be improved to provide

easier access to HS Committee decisions, national tariff clas-

sification rulings and the procedure for obtaining a ruling;

• Further capacity building with regard to tariff classification

infrastructure and classification knowledge and skills was

required;

• It was not desirable for the HS Committee to accommodate

classification requests from the private sector due to the

anticipated volume, the time required to make decisions, and

the fact that such a procedure could undermine legal national

systems already in place.

With regard to the possibility of establishing an advance tariff

ruling system at the WCO, it emerged that it was vital to ensure

the availability of binding pre-entry information on the tariff

classification of commodities, which was considered a major

trade facilitation measure.

The Group agreed that:

• Establishing national pre-entry classification programmes by

WCO Members should be regarded as the ultimate long-term

objective given that this would be in keeping with the WCO

Recommendation on the Introduction of Programmes for

Binding Pre-entry Classification Information;

• Raising awareness of the advantages of providing pre-entry

High Level Ad Hoc Group on Harmonized System Matters



classification rulings at the national

level and reinforcing capacity building

assistance to Customs administrations

lacking national pre-entry classifica-

tion programmes were prerequisite to

achieving this goal;

• Setting up a central tariff ruling system

as a short-term interim solution might

seem to have some benefits in terms

of addressing the urgent needs of the

private sector.

As many other suggestions and ideas emerged during the dis-

cussions which needed further scrutiny and analysis, the Ad Hoc

Group concluded that further reflection was necessary. Private

sector representatives attending the meeting

appreciated the opportunity to contribute to

the examination of these HS-related issues

and expressed their willingness to continue to

cooperate with the WCO on these issues.

During their June 2006 sessions, the WCO

Council agreed that the High Level Ad Hoc

Group should continue to carry out its man-

date and instructed the Group to report its

findings to the next meeting of the Policy

Commission scheduled for December 2006.l

More information

[email protected]



WCO revised Kyoto Convention continues to grow

The revised Kyoto Convention on the

Simplification and Harmonization of

Customs Procedures which entered

into force on 3 February 2006 now

has 50 Contracting Parties. The

Convention is widely regarded as a

blueprint for modern and efficient

Customs procedures in the 21st

century.

Almost 80% of international

trade is now being facilitated

under the provisions of the revised Kyoto

Convention. Once implemented across the globe, this important

global instrument will provide international commerce with the

predictability and efficiency that modern trade requires.

The efficiency and effectiveness of Customs procedures can

significantly influence and advance economic competitiveness

and social development by promoting international trade and

investment in a safer trading environment.

Since June 2006, Botswana, Estonia, Mongolia, and Zambia have

acceded to the revised Kyoto Convention. l

More information

[email protected]

THE REVISED KYOTO CONVENTION

Two indispensable publications to enlighten you further about THE REVISED KYOTO CONVENTION that entered into force on 3 February 2006

Glossary of International Customs Terms

A handy guide to help you understand the international language of Customs


The Revised Kyoto Convention

The International Convention on the Simplification and Harmonization of Customs Procedures – a Customs blueprint for the 21st century (Available online or on CD-ROM)



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[email protected]

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www.wcoomd.org


E V E N T S

A few days before the kick-off of the Germany

2006 FIFA World Cup, the WCO Secretariat par-

ticipated in the opening of the “Counterfeiting,

no thanks!” exhibition and conference that was

held in Lille (France) on 1st June 2006 in partner-

ship with the INPI , the CNAC and the UNIFAB .

The main purpose of this event - an exten-

sion of France’s general awareness campaign

launched at the beginning of 2006 by the

French Ministry of the Economy, Finance and

Industry - was to give the campaign a new

European and global dimension. The event itself

served to highlight the dynamic and effective

international co-operation that already exists

in this domain.

Chaired by Benoît Battistelli (Director General

of INPI), the conference brought together a

number of high-profile speakers: Michel Danet,

Bernard Brochand (Deputy Mayor of Cannes

and President of CNAC), Marc-Antoine Jamet (President of UNIFAB), Brigitte

Charpentier (President of FIFAS ), and Philippe Kearney (Deputy Director in the

French Customs administration).

Speakers at the conference, representing both the public and private sectors,

had the opportunity to provide an update on the latest situation, present

the risks and the challenges ahead, report on the increase in the number of

seizures world-wide, explain the situation with regard to the regulations and

the changes which need to be made to them in the near future and, finally,

describe forthcoming activities to be conducted at national, regional and

international level.

Several counterfeit articles were displayed, especially in connection with the

Germany 2006 FIFA World Cup, as a means of highlighting the extent to

which counterfeiting had taken hold in the sportswear and sports accessories

sector.

Participants were treated to a demonstration of “INPI direct”, the INPI’s infor-

mation platform on counterfeiting comprising a dedicated web site, email and

hotline. The WCO also took the opportunity to present its e-learning module

on counterfeiting that aroused considerable interest among those present.

To round off the day there was a symbolic destruction of counterfeit sports

training shoes seized by French Customs in the Nord - Pas de Calais region. l

More information

www.wcoomd.org

Counterfeiting, no thanks!

Technology: a key Customs driver

The third successive World Customs

Exhibition (WCE) took place along-

side the 2006 WCO Council Sessions

with the theme “Safer world trade

through technology”.

By adopting the SAFE Framework of

Standards to Secure and Facilitate

Global Trade in June 2005, the inter-

national Customs community is com-

mitted to meet the challenges raised

by the new world trade environment.

Terrorist threats, the proliferation and

diversification of fraud, the increase

in organized crime, and commercial

pressure for greater trade facilita-

tion have indeed turned the order

of priorities for Customs administra-

tions upside down. Customs in the

21st century now have to cope with

added responsibilities besides their

traditional sphere of work. To suc-

cessfully carry out their expanded

mandate, Customs must ensure that

their working methods and tools con-

stantly take account of the ever-changing global trade arena.

This year’s Exhibition theme is therefore of particular signifi-

cance. A driver for customs reform and modernisation, tech-

nology is one of the key tools to secure the trade supply chain

whilst facilitating the movement of legitimate goods.

Exhibitors had the opportunity to present new technologies

that Customs could use to enhance their activities which

would benefit economic operators: trace, detection and imag-

ing technology; x-ray scanners for inspecting persons or

vehicles; software to manage and monitor shipments; nuclear

and chemical detection systems; anti-counterfeiting tags;

communication data security technology, etc.

WCE 2006 follows successful World Customs Exhibitions in

Budapest (Hungary) during October 2003 and Baku (Azerbaijan)

in May 2005. This year’s Exhibition was inaugurated by Hervé

Jamar, Belgium’s State Secretary for Modernisation of Financial

Affairs and the Fight against Tax Fraud and organized by the WCO

with the support of the Belgium Customs administration. l

More information

[email protected]

WCE 2006, 3rd World Customs Exhibition


E V E N T S

Alongside the World Customs Exhibition which took place in June

2006, the WCO also hosted an educational exhibition entitled

“Counterfeiting, no thanks”. This Exhibition follows on from the

French campaign of the same name launched at the beginning of

2006 by France’s Ministry for the Economy, Finances and Industry

in partnership with the INPI (the French National Anti-counter-

feiting Committee) and the CNAC (the French National Institute

for Patents), but provides an international dimension.

Although counterfeiting is mostly linked in people’s minds to

luxury products, in reality the phenomenon affects all sectors of

the economy, notably basic consumer goods whilst impoverish-

ing economies and even killing sometimes! Criminal organisa-

tions form part of the Customs universe and, since the dawn

of time, Customs has had to respond to their ingenuity in the

field of illicit trade. The WCO has been committed to combating

counterfeiting and piracy for over a decade, shoulder to shoulder

with other international organisations and the private sector. It

is only by pooling our efforts and making the most of the synergy

between partners that we can effectively fight counterfeiting and

achieve tangible results.

The Exhibition was aimed at encouraging a high degree of

mobilisation and generating widespread awareness of anti-

counterfeiting policies among policy makers and consumers,

with a view to bringing about a long-term change in

behaviour. It was also aimed at those involved in the

fight against counterfeiting and piracy (manufactur-

ers, distributors, intermediaries, Customs, police,

etc.) for which mobilisation is essential if this phe-

nomenon is to be curbed.

Using descriptive panels and visual displays of fake arti-

cles (drugs, vehicle brakes, mobile phone batteries, food and

beverage products, cosmetics, sport goods from the FIFA World

Cup Germany 2006, etc.), visitors had the opportunity to dis-

cover what was being done to fight the increasingly sophisticated

counterfeiting and piracy trade, the risks and potential dangers

for consumers and the routes these products follow.

A similar exhibition will be held in Geneva (Switzerland) from

30-31 January 2007 during the Third Global Congress on

Combating Counterfeiting and Piracy which is being organised by

WIPO in partnership with the WCO and Interpol. l

More information


http://www.ccapcongress.net

The WCO and the World Free Zone Convention (WFZC) jointly

hosted a very successful forum on issues currently impacting

on this very important area of economic activity. Around 100

delegates from the customs, trade, and free zone communities

gathered in Geneva from 25-26 July 2006 to discuss several top-

ics of common interest. These included, the current approach of

the WTO to these zones, the development of relationships with

international

organisations,

transfer pricing

and customs

valuation, the

management of labour forces across borders, intellectual prop-

erty rights, and incentives. Participants also looked at questions

Forum on free zones, a success...


E V E N T S

THE ISTANBUL CONVENTION

LATEST VERSION!


+32 (0)2 209 94 90+32 (0)2 209 95 03

[email protected]

www.wcoomd.org

The Istanbul Convention

A reference work for those involved in the temporary import and export of goods (includes valuable information on the use of ATA carnets and the conditions under which carnets may be accepted by Contracting Parties to this Convention).

ref. 91

The second IP Crime Congress, an AKJ Associates’ initia-

tive, took place in Brussels at the WCO Conference Centre

from 6-7 July 2006. The overriding aim of the Congress

was to discuss ways in which businesses could help pro-

tect themselves from the harm caused by intellectual

property crime. The event was well attended with 250

delegates representing over 20 countries. Delegates com-

prised senior representatives from business, law enforce-

ment agencies and government departments.

Over the course of two days, the traditional roles of the

main strategic stakeholders were examined and chal-

lenged. Delegates heard from expert speakers about

the modern IP crime risks and how best to manage and

mitigate these risks. Real case studies from the automo-

tive, fast moving consumer goods, pharmaceutical and

recording industries gave delegates the opportunity to

learn from examples of best practice and real life examples

of strategies and policies that work in helping businesses

protect themselves from IP crime.

The third annual IP Crime Congress will take place in

Brussels in June 2007. l

More information

www.ipcrimecongress.org

[email protected]

raging accession to WCO instruments and standards from a

trade perspective whilst its participants could apply to become

authorised economic operators as envisaged in the WCO SAFE

Framework of Standards – a global instrument to secure and

facilitate trade.

Speaking after the close of the Forum, Mr Mather said that this

joint initiative had been an excellent example of cooperation

between the WCO and the WFZC and he expressed the desire

that there would be further joint ventures in the future. l

More information

[email protected]

IP Crime Congress 2006

relating to tax and state aid, good governance, security and

fraud prevention. The Forum was chaired jointly by Graham

Mather, Chairman of the WFZC, and Ray Mc Donagh, WCO

Deputy Director.

At the end of the event, the WFZC and the WCO issued a

statement signed by Graham Mather and Mike Schmitz, WCO

Director responsible for Compliance and Facilitation, in which

they recognised the need for continued co-operation in the

fight against increasing fraud and the threats posed by inter-

national terrorism. The WFZC can play a significant role in this

area and its network, which extends globally, will be looking at

ways to strengthen co-operation with the Customs community.

This cooperation could, for example, foresee the WFZC encou-


E V E N T S

Thai Customs on the road towards an open knowledge world

The Eastern Europe and Central Asia Regional

Congress on Combating

Counterfeiting and

Piracy took place from

11-12 July 2006 in

Bucharest (Romania).

More than 400 delegates attend-

ed the event which was organised

by the Government of Romania

in cooperation with the

WCO, Interpol and

the World Intellectual

Property Organisation

(WIPO).

Based on the theme

“Making a difference

through more effec-

tive cooperation”, the

regional congress gathered together

a panel of politicians, senior officials and business lead-

ers. The opening speech was given by the President of

Romania, Traian Basescu, and his Prime Minister, Calin

Popescu Tariceanu.

The main discussions of the Regional Congress ranged

from the barriers and progress in Romania and in the Eastern

European and Central Asian regions in combating counterfeiting

and piracy, the promotion of cooperation, good practice relating

to the sharing of information among and between enforcement

agencies, the judiciary, policy-makers and the regional private

sector. l

It was agreed that they would meet again at the Third World

Congress on counterfeiting which will take place from 30-31

January 2007 in Geneva (Switzerland) at the invitation of

WIPO.

More information


Eastern Europe and Central Asia Regional Congress on Combating Counterfeiting and Piracy

On the occasion of the 132nd anniversary of the Royal Thai Customs on

4 July 2006, the Director-General of Customs, Dr.Sathit Limpongpan,

officially opened an exhibition at Customs Headquarters with the

theme “Customs: Towards an Open Knowledge World”.

Knowledge Management is the key policy in managing human

resources in the Royal Thai Customs. It is an important approach

to improving organisational outcomes and organisational

learning by introducing Customs officers and staff to a range

of specific processes and practices for identifying and capturing

knowledge, know-how, expertise, and for making such knowledge

assets available for transfer and reuse across the organisation.

The key objectitve of introducing a Knowledge Management

Programme is to leverage the expertise of Customs officers

and staff in selected areas across the organisation. Such a

programme is also aimed at facilitating the management of

a proliferation of data and information; thereby creating an

ideal environment for Customs officers and Customs clients to

rapidly access useful and relevant knowledge resources and best

practice guidelines. l

More information

www.customs.go.th

Harmonized System for High-Tech Products in 2007

Trainers : Izaak Wind, Jorn Hindsdal, Ronald

Heller

Expert training in

the application of

the Harmonized

System for machi-

nery, with a spe-

cial focus on high-

tech products (tele-

communications

equipment, copi-

ers and printers

etc.):

• Gain a greater understanding of the rules

for classifying high-tech products in the

Harmonized System (HS).

• Discover the major changes in HS 2007 and

their consequential effects on classifying

high-tech products.

• Receive top-class training from the World

Customs Organization’s experts and

exchange experiences with

fellow profes-

sionals. Date :

7-8 November 2006

(English)

(+ 6 hours of

E-learning material)

Customs Valuation:

Mastering the Transaction Value

Trainers : Ping Liu, Shigeaki Katsu, Kishan Singh

An opportune time to become acquainted with this essential international

instrument:

• Increase your understanding on determining the Customs value of goods using

the transaction value method.

• Become au fait with the rules to adjust the Customs value to avoid

potential problems from arising at a later stage.

• Gain a better insight into the complexities of Customs

valuation, the latest valuation developments, and their

impact on international trade

Date :

23-24 November 2006

(English)

(+ 5 hours of

E-learning material)

Location: WCO headquarters, Brussels (Belgium)

More information

E-mail: [email protected] • Tel. +32 (0)2 227 11 26 - • Web : http://learning.wcoomd.org

Rules of Origin

Trainers : Jacqueline Cutzach, Pierre-Paul

de Vaucher

A unique opportunity to develop your

knowledge of preferential and non-pref-

erential Rules of Origin:

• Get acquainted with the preferential Rules

of Origin applicable to European Union

trade relations.

• Gain a clear insight into the complexity

and impact of these Rules of Origin on your company’s financial per-

formance.

• Receive top-class training from the World

Customs Organization’s experts and exchange

experiences with fellow professionals.

Date :

21 - 22 November 2006

French/English

World Customs Centre of Learning

Application of the Harmonized System for High-Tech Products in 20077-8 November 2006WCO Headquarters, Brussels

BE PREPARED FOR HS 2007!

Are you aware of the major changes in 2007 for the classifi cation of high-tech products under the Harmonized System?

World Customs Centre of Learning

Workshop on Customs Valuation

Mastering the transaction value

23-24 November 2006WCO Headquarters, Brussels

Expert training onRules of Origin Rules applicable to European Union trade relations

21-22 November 2006WCO Headquarters, Brussels

WCO TRAINING COURSES ARE

DISTRIBUTED BY

Coming soon…

13 - 14 February 2007 : Application of the Harmonized System General Interpretative Rules (English). Whether you are a novice or a

specialist, this essential course will enhance your ability to classify goods with confidence

19 - 23 February 2007 : WCO Diagnostic Framework (English). A unique opportunity to acquire organisational consultancy skills

May 2007 : WCO E-Commerce developments (English)

5 – 6 June 2007 : Harmonized System Training Workshop on Chemical Products (English)

WCO Global training diary !

2 0 0 7 W C O I N F O R M A T I O N T E C H N O L O G Y

C O N F E R E N C E & E X H I B I T I O N

To sponsor, exhibit, register or for more information

visit our website http://events.wcoomd.org

or contact [email protected]

Tel. : +32 (0)2 209 95 02

WCO Event

The first WCO IT event to be held in

Latin America!

Will core structures and operations in Customs change as a

result of new technology?

Can modern information management change the way goods

are valued, identified or classified?

Why are international standards so important in today’s

environment?

What does the future promise, and who is leading the

charge?

Debate the answers to these high-impact questionsBe part of the solution

Hosted by

Galeria Plaza HotelVeracruz, Mexico

Date

25-27 April 2007

Corporate Sponsor

...from traditional procedures

to modern information

management

From the Old World to the New: ICT Facilitates Transition?

Register Now !

Take advantage of

our early bird discount

Photography: Carlos Cano

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