WCO World Customs Forum on SAFE Framework in Brussels December 11-12, 2007
The World Customs Organization has posted information to its Web site regarding the upcoming World Customs Forum 2007 held in conjunction with the Trusted Trade Alliance. The event, which will undertake an implementation review of the WCO Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade (SAFE Framework), will take place December 11-12, 2007 at WCO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.
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(The SAFE Framework is an international WCO instrument adopted in June 2005 to secure and facilitate global trade.)
Forum to Cover SAFE Framework, AEO Implementation, Mutual Recognition, Etc.
According to the WCO, the conference will review progress on the implementation of the SAFE Framework two years after its adoption, with particular reference to the implementation of the Authorized Economic Operators (AEO) and mutual recognition concepts and their impact on business.
(In June 2006, the WCO Council adopted guidelines for AEO programs which U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials have previously compared to Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT).)
Forum for Government and Private Sector Attendees
The World Customs Forum 2007 is intended to bring together government and private sector employees, including senior corporate customs and supply chain managers, logistics experts, legal advisors, economists, trade security practitioners, academics, representatives of customs administrations and others involved in the international trade arena.
Agenda Includes C-TPAT, 102, AEO, 9/11 Commission Recommendations
The World Customs Forum 2007's agenda includes the following items:
lessons learned in building the U.S. C-TPAT program, in particular what worked and what opportunities exist for improvement;
information about the U.S. Security Filing (SF) initiative (aka 102);
progress in the World Trade Organization's Doha Round of negotiations;
the EU's AEO program and the requirements for participation;
bilateral efforts to achieve mutual recognition;
competing schools of thought on third party validation for AEO and C-TPAT participants;
the way forward for supply chain security regimes, and how advance electronic data requirements challenge current business practices;
inconsistencies among programs and other concerns raised by the business community;
best practices with private sector companies who have already implemented their security programs; and
consequences of the new U.S. legislation entitled, "Implementing the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Act of 2007."
Registration is Free For WCO Members & Int'l Organizations (Up to 2 Delegates)
According to the WCO, registration is now available online and is free for up to two delegates who are either WCO members or from international organizations. (Regular participant registration fees apply to all additional delegates.)
Regular participant registration fees are 800 Euros (968 including VAT).
Registration fees include the two day conference, refreshment breaks and lunches, a delegate pack and the post congress CD-Rom.
WCO SAFE Framework Conference information available at http://www.wcoomd.org/event_about_the_conference.htm