One of the key standards contained in the SAFE Framework is the establishment of a risk management system to identify potentially high risk shipments. The use of non-intrusive inspection equipment … is also strongly advocated, but in tandem with the application of these risk assessment techniques. At a time when the WCO is actively encouraging all its members to employ risk management, the potential implementation of 100% scanning requirements by one of the world’s major trading powers threatens to undermine the provisions of the SAFE Framework. Michael Schmitz, WCO Director of Compliance and Facilitation, responds to questions on this subject.

In General - A container that was loaded on a vessel in a foreign port shall not enter the United States (either directly or via a foreign port) unless the container was scanned by nonintrusive … imaging equipment and radiation detection equipment at a foreign port before it was loaded on a vessel.

Mr. László Kovács, the European Commission’s Taxation and Customs Union Commissioner, candidly shares his views with WCO News readers on the “Implementing Recommendations of the United States … 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 which mandates 100% scanning by 2012 of sea cargo destined for the United States.

In actively implementing an AEO programme in the United Kingdom, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has adopted a robust approach where they expect company procedures to withstand their … audit – which will be detailed and wide-ranging. If issues arise HMRC will simply stop the “audit clock”; resuming, to an agreed timescale, only when corrections are made. Traders should accept this simple approach which may be considered as a best practise.

The Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) recently celebrated its 5th birthday. The occasion warrants a review of the voluntary programme from the perspective of US small and medium … traders (SMEs). For while the programme is voluntary, if non-participation puts an SME at a competitive disadvantage versus larger and multinational corporations, does it leave the SME with any choices beyond join or lose? Apparently so, as evidenced by the typically independent behavior of SMEs.

The WCO and its Member administrations share with trade bodies a genuine concern to set and maintain a fair and fruitful balance between facilitation and security but they are not helped by sharp … differences in the ownership of each side of the equation.

Carrying out the main duties of The Ministry of Finance in customs and excise matters based on policy stipulated by the ministry and securing government policy regarding the incoming and outgoing … traffic of goods into or from the Customs Territory and to collect Import Duties and Excise and others government revenue in accordance with the applied laws.

In recent times, we have witnessed a clear shift of the role of Customs from the collection of VAT and Customs duties towards the application of non-tariff measures, including those related to … security and safety, the fight against counterfeit goods, money laundering, drugs trafficking, economic crimes, the illicit trade in wild fauna and flora, as well as the application of sanitary, health, environmental and consumer protection measures. This increase in the role and responsibility of Customs has generally led to a rise in the physical inspection of goods in many countries with inevitable constraints on fast clearance times.

The Customs Co-operation Council (CCC) came into being at the same time as the Brussels Nomenclature and the Brussels Definition of Value (BDV), and these two Conventions formed the pillars of … the Organization at its beginnings in 1952. As time went on, international trade developments gathered pace and Customs’ missions evolved. At the same time, demand for use of the Nomenclature grew not only for Customs revenue collection purposes, but also for manifold socio-economic reasons. As a result, the Brussels Nomenclature developed into the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (HS). This System, which entered into force in 1988, is the common language for global trade.