Articles

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.

Detection of illicit trafficking of nuclear and other radioactive materials at borders is a multidimensional task, involving clear identification of roles and responsibilities at all stages of … detection and response infrastructure, availability of operating procedures, deployment of border monitoring equipment, human resource development and sustainability aspects. One key element to border monitoring systems is radiation detection equipment used to detect illicit trafficking of nuclear and dangerous radioactive materials in cargo, commerce and passengers. More specifically, the focus is put on detecting components of nuclear weapons and radioactive materials out of regulatory control that can potentially be used for Radiological Dispersal Devices (RDD) – the highest priority concern for nuclear security.

The world is trying to ensure that global container traffic is controlled and secure; reducing the vulnerability containers could pose for nations and their ports. Governments and non-government … organizations are constantly debating and demanding certain protocols be adopted to achieve this security, for instance the demand by the United States (US) for scanning.

Against an overwhelmingly liberal trade background, the modern Customs environment appears to be dominated by seeking the best possible balance between facilitation and security of international … trade, followed by the impact of information and communication technology (ICT) on Customs clearance activities.

In its efforts to facilitate the movement of transit trade across Jordan and to balance security and facilitation requirements, Jordan Customs has begun implementing an electronic Transit Monitoring … and Facilitation System (TMFS), the first of its kind used by a Customs administration.