Articles

Although the trade in ivory from Asian and African elephants has been banned since 1975 and 1989 respectively in all 170 countries signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered … Species (CITES), illegal and unregulated trade continues to occur in many parts of the world, primarily Africa and Asia.

On 9 December 2009, the WCO launched the latest version of its Data Model; a global solution for optimizing electronic data exchange. This version of the Model represents a significant development … as it will act as an enabler for improved management of cross-border transactions.

The WCO has published the agreed amendments to the Harmonized System (HS) nomenclature that will enter into force on 1 January 2012.

Even though Customs interacts constantly with business, the shape of relations between these two international trade protagonists varies from country to country, depending on the economic situation, … national culture, political imperatives, and operational resources and requirements, etc. The Revised Kyoto Convention states in its general principles that “Customsshall institute and maintain formal consultative relationships with the trade to increase co-operation and facilitate participation in establishing the most effective methods of working commensurate with national provisions and international agreements.”

Every year, a significant number of rules, regulations and other measures are adopted in ‘Brussels’ that have either a direct or an indirect effect on the EU’s 495 million citizens and 20 million … businesses. The interests and opinions of these stakeholders, when adopting these rules, should be heard and taken into account. Indeed, various kinds of consultation and consultative bodies have long been – and are increasingly so – an integral part of the EU legislative process.

To curb illegal trans-boundary movement of hazardous and other waste, Hong Kong Customs, with the support of the Environmental Protection Department (EPD), launched a strategic control scheme … on hazardous and other waste with effect from 4 July 2007; a partnership between the public and private sectors.

As Singapore Customs celebrated its 100th anniversary in January 2010 and took stock of its numerous achievements through the years, TradeNet – Singapore’s Single Window initiative, which marksits … 21st year in 2010 – stands out for its role in revolutionising the trade documentation process in the city-state. TradeNet has enhanced the competitiveness of Singapore as a global trade hub, creating an overall positive trading environment for the country and the region. We trace the development and progress of this electronic wonder that makes paperwork a thing of the past.

A new Customs Code based on WCO standards (Revised Kyoto Convention, Istanbul Convention, etc) entered into force on 1 January 2009. The new Code establishes the legislative framework for virtual … electronic procedures by recognizing an electronic goods declaration, an electronic signature and the accomplishment of Customs formalities, including the payment of duties and taxes,remotely in a virtual environment.

The 16th of September last year commemorated the 23rd anniversary of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. Monitoring the trade in ozone depleting substances (ODS) … and their ozone-friendly substitutes has been the hallmark of the implementation of the Montreal Protocol. There is, therefore, much to celebrate as well as many challenges ahead for Customs officers around the world.

The Fifth Global Congress on Combating Counterfeiting and Piracy which was held in Cancun (Mexico) from 2-4 June 2009 saw international delegates galvanize their efforts to fight the trade in … counterfeit and pirated products around the theme “Bridging boundariesforshared solutions”. Hosted by INTERPOL in cooperation with the Mexican government agency, Instituto Mexicana de la Propiedad Industrial, delegates attending the Congress had the opportunity to listen to a number ofspeakersskilled in IPR issues, in particular IPR enforcement at borders.

Thirty-five delegates representing countries and international/regional organisations in the Asia Pacific region participated in a Green Customs Forum in Jeju (Republic of Korea) from 3-6 November … 2009. Discussions centred on the efforts made by Customs to protect the environment.

The global economic downturn sparked a significant drop in Customs revenue collection owing to the plunge in international trade volumes. Developing countries were especially harmed because the … bulk of their national revenue comes from Customs duties.

Between March and May 2009, Customs administrations from 64 countries launched Operation Demeter targeting the illicit cross-border shipment of hazardous and other waste en route from Europe … to countries in the Asia/ Pacific region and Africa. This joint global Customs initiative netted more than 36,000 tons and 1,700 pieces of illegal hazardous waste in 57 seizures, ranging from household waste and scraps metal to discarded electronic goods and used vehicle parts.

The World Customs Organization has issued a list of recommended amendments to the Harmonized System (HS) nomenclature that will enter into force on 1 January 2012. Affected goods include certain … animals and animal products, foods and agricultural products (fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, spices, etc.), chemical substances, wood products, textile products, machinery, furniture and video game consoles. These recommendations were adopted by the WCO Council in June 2009 and WCO Members have six months to register any objections.

In 2008, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum completed the Secure Trade project, a research and analysis project designed to better understand the economics, efficacy, and equity … of security technologies used for containerized maritime trade in the Asia-Pacific region.

The Australian Customs and Border Protection Service (ACBPS) has been using non-intrusive inspection (NII) equipment in cargo and passenger processing since the early 1990s. Various technologies, … including x-ray machines (ranging from small cabinet systems to containerised cargo inspection systems) and hand-held radiation detection and identification equipment have been used.