On November 8, 2010, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Alan Bersin met with private sector trade and travel stakeholders to discuss concerns and recommendations for improving CBP services during a series of roundtable meetings at the agency’s headquarters.
The World Customs Organization reports that in WCO Secretary General Mikuriya's keynote address at the 41st annual meeting of ASAPRA (Association of Professional Customs Agents in America), he promoted the importance of Customs brokers joining forces with Customs administrations in advancing Customs modernization and in remaining visionary, relevant and indispensable to global trade. ASAPRA President Alejandro Ramos urged Customs brokers in Latin America to embrace trade facilitation enshrined in the WCO Revised Kyoto Convention and the new AEO and Single Window initiatives promoted by the WCO SAFE Framework of Standards which are in line with reform initiatives undertaken by regional Customs administrations.
The World Customs Organization's Inspector General Mikuriya met with Vietnam’s Director General of Customs and its Finance Minister on July 29-30 in Hanoi. The Minister of Finance expressed his strong support for Customs modernization and the partnership approach with business. The Minister also pledged his commitment to improving Vietnam’s investment climate by working with business and enhancing coordination with other border agencies, including the single window project. The Minister requested assistance from the WCO in basing the country’s Customs reform program on global standards and best practices. Vietnam Customs informed Secretary General Mikuriya that they were trying to establish a trade compliance program as a first step towards an AEO program. In this regard, they welcomed the engagement and advice of the WCO Private Sector Consultative Group in establishing the program.
On July 23, 2010, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Alan Bersin sent a letter to 16 trade and industry groups1 responding to a list of proposals that were presented to him to improve Customs regulations and operations.
On July 23, 2010, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Alan Bersin sent a letter to 16 trade and industry groups1 responding to a list of proposals that were presented to him to improve Customs regulations and operations.
On July 23, 2010, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Alan Bersin sent a letter to 16 trade and industry groups1 responding to a list of proposals that were presented to him to improve Customs regulations and operations.
The World Customs Organization visited Bangladesh on July 20 and 21, 2010 for the Customs-Business Partnership Conference, where he met the management team of Bangladesh Customs as well as senior political and business leaders to discuss Customs modernization and the Customs-business partnership. At the conference, the Minister of Finance announced that Bangladesh would sign a letter of intent to implement the WCO SAFE Framework of Standards and would work with the WCO on Customs reform. He also announced that his country would start the process of acceding to the WCO Revised Kyoto Convention.
This forum in its fifth year has made strong progress in the areas of visa reform, aviation liberalization and introductory steps toward a bilateral tax treaty. The Department of Commerce and the Brazilian Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade are working to develop an agenda under the U.S. -- Brazil Commercial Dialogue to include topics such as; green technology and customs modernization.
The COAC Trade Facilitation Subcommittee met with U.S Customs and Border Protection officials on June 15, 2010 to discuss one of CBP’s top Account Based Processing projects -- Centers of Expertise.
Fifty-two organizations have issued a second consensus statement which further develops their views and recommendations on making the Lacey Act declaration for imported plants and plant products more “business friendly”.