ECOWAS progresses towards e-certification and self-certification of origin

The World Customs Organization (WCO), in partnership with the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) and under the framework of the EU-WCO Rules of Origin Africa Programme funded by the European Union, held a workshop on e-certification and self-certification in Accra, Ghana, from 2 to 5 May 2023. The workshop also saw the participation of origin and IT experts from the ECOWAS pilot countries, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Niger, Nigeria, and Senegal. The European Union delegation to Ghana took part in the opening session and parts of the discussion sessions. The workshop is building on the needs expressed by ECOWAS and its members during consultations with the RoO Africa Programme in October 2022.

WCO provides technical assistance to Angola Customs in the areas of Inward and Outward Processing, and Free Zones in the context of the RKC

The World Customs Organization (WCO) successfully conducted a 3-day national workshop on the application and implementation of Inward and Outward Processing, and Free Zones in the context of the Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC) from 8-10 May 2023 in Luanda, Angola. The workshop was organized with the financial support of the WCO Customs Cooperation Fund (CCF) Japan. The workshop brought together over 35 Customs Officers drawn from different areas of Customs with the objective of raising their awareness and deepening their understanding at the strategic and operational level about the application and implementation of Inward and Outward Processing and Free Zones in the context of the RKC.

WCO National Workshop on Post-Clearance Audit held in Kyrgyzstan

A World Customs Organization (WCO) National Workshop on Post-Clearance Audit (PCA) was held in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, from 24 to 28 April 2023. The Workshop was financed by the Customs Cooperation Fund of Korea (CCF/Korea). The Director of the Post-Customs Control Department of the State Customs Service (SCS) of the Kyrgyz Republic, Ismailov Marat Nurbekovich, welcomed all the participants and made some opening remarks, expressing his gratitude to the WCO, the CCF/Korea, and the experts and facilitators for providing PCA support to the SCS.

Workshop on Customs Valuation for Post Clearance Audit delivered to Uzbekistan within the framework of the SECO-WCO GTFP

From 24 to 28 April 2023, the WCO organized a national workshop on Customs Valuation for the Post Clearance Audit (PCA) Department of the State Customs Committee of Uzbekistan within the framework of the SECO-WCO Global Trade Facilitation Programme (GTFP) to strengthen the capacities of the Customs Administration in the implementation of its PCA. The 5-day workshop was attended by 22 Customs officials from the Valuation Unit and PCA, who actively participated during the sessions, deepened their understanding of the WTO Customs Valuation Agreement and gained knowledge about PCA as an effective tool for valuation control.

WCO: The Container Control Programme highlights success in preventing the exploitation of the global trade supply chain

The Container Control Programme (CCP) released its Annual Report for 2022. The CCP continued to deliver impressive results by making a wide variety of seizures, including cocaine, firearms, ammunition and parts of explosives, cigarettes, and products related to crimes that affect the environment. Translating these outcomes into impact, the CCP continues to improve the security, health, and economies of countries and people around the world.  

Comoros Customs makes progress on post-clearance audit implementation

From 2 to 5 May 2023, the Secretariat of the World Customs Organization (WCO), in cooperation with Comoros Customs, held a national workshop on post-clearance audit (PCA) in Moroni (Comoros). The workshop was funded by the China Customs Cooperation Fund (CCF China). Twenty Customs managers working in the various central and regional control units took part in the workshop, which was delivered in French by two WCO-accredited operational and technical advisers on post-clearance audit.

 

WTO: Members advance work to identify, address challenges in implementing SPS Agreement

WTO members have discussed progress in undertaking the Work Programme of the MC12 Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Declaration aimed at identifying and addressing challenges in the implementation of the Agreement on the Application of SPS Measures. Members held a third round of intersessional consultations on 8-11 May, where they also discussed improvements to the functioning of the SPS Committee and proposals to further enhance the Committee’s work on food safety and animal/plant health.

WTO: Korea, US reach mutually agreed solution in large residential washers dispute

The Republic of Korea and the United States announced at a meeting of the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) on 28 April that they have reached a mutually agreed solution to terminate subsequent procedures in “United States — Safeguard measure on imports of large residential washers” (DS546). WTO members considered a request from Indonesia for the establishment of a panel to examine EU countervailing and anti-dumping duties on stainless steel cold-rolled flat products from Indonesia. The EU said it was not in a position to accept Indonesia’s request.

WTO dispute panels issue reports regarding Indian tech tariffs

The WTO circulated three panel reports in the cases brought by the European Union, Japan and Chinese Taipei in “India — Tariff Treatment on Certain Goods in the Information and Communications Technology Sector” (DS582), “India — Tariff Treatment on Certain Goods” (DS584) and “India — Tariff Treatment on Certain Goods in the Information and Communications Technology Sector” (DS588) respectively.