APEC 2017: Reach more consensus in SCCP2

Delegates discussed on key topics in SCCP2

Achieves more consensus in the SCCP

Delegates from APEC member economies, delegates from the APEC Secretariat and guests from the World Customs Organization (WCO), the Trade and Investment Committee (CTI) attended the meeting.

In the opening speech at the Second Customs Sub-Committee (SCCP2) meeting, Deputy Director-General of Vietnam Customs Vu Ngoc Anh affirmed the success of the first SCCP meeting has become a major driving force for Vietnam Customs continue to hold the second SCCP.

According to the organizers, after the first meeting was held in Nha Trang in February 2017, the SCCP reached consensus in implementing key contents of APEC in 2017, in that key result was focused on promoting the implementation of Trade Facilitation Agreement of World Trade Organization (WTO) and examining the possibilities and practical conditions for the implementation of Single Window among APEC.

In addition, the SCCP stressed the importance of simplifying customs procedures, enhancing intellectual property rights cross-border, and implementing self-certification of origin and origin testing programs, promoting cross-border e-commerce development that aimed to facilitate trade together with ensuring trade security in the supply chain of the regional.

In those results, the Concept Note of Vietnam Customs on Trade Facilitation and US Customs and Border Protection on Single Window was approved by APEC secretarial and provided funding for organizing 2 related workshops of SOM3. With the purpose of opening free discussion forum and member economies connection in launching initiatives to promote the implementation of the WTO Agreement on Trade Facilitation and connecting single window mechanism in the region.

Besides 7 key concepts including the Trade Facilitation Agreement Implementation of WTO; Supply Chain Connectivity Framework; Single window mechanism; Authorize Economic Operators; Information technology and risk management; Intellectual property rights; Cross-border e-commerce, the SCCP has agreed to add a new dimension to customs-customs cooperation within APEC in order to promote cooperation, technical assistance and capacity building among member economies, especially supporting for developing economies.

Furthermore, 2 major objectives of SCCP 2017 was traded facilitation and ensuring security of supply chain which was specified in SCCP Collective Action Plan and the SCCP 2017 Work Program

Agree 8 important contents

At the second SCCP meeting, delegates continued to discuss and elaborate action plans for the eight key contents of the SCCP. In particular, emphasizing the content, such as:

Supply Chain Connectivity Framework. The SCCP's high consensus at the meeting to continue to implement relevant activities within SCCP's responsibility to assist SOM and CTI in the implementation of SCFAP II.

Single Window: Members agreed to continue improving the National Single Window and would put more effort to consider the possibility of connecting this mechanism among APEC member economies.

Authorized Economic Operator program: The SCCP emphasized the continuation of priority business programs in member economies, efforts to cooperate and the signing of Mutual Recognition Arrangements in order to facilitate the import-export business.

Cross-border E-commerce: SCCP encouraged the customs authorities of member economies to continue to strengthen risk management programs to ensure both trade facilitation and increased compliance in the commercial activities of the business.

In addition to emphasizing the need for close coordination between competent authorities and border management agencies, the SCCP addressed the promotion of public-private dialogue in order to contribute to the achievement of SCCP priorities. 2017.

In the field of information technology and risk management, SCCP considered as a necessary and effective tool for customs enforcement activities. Therefore, the sharing experience in the application of information technology and risk management, as well as technical assistance in order to complete the Customs reform and modernization program among the customs authorities in the area that was considered as important activities, need to implement in the future.

In the field of enforcing intellectual property rights management, the SCCP emphasized that trade facilitation must implement parallel with supply chain security, thus increasing cooperation in anti-smuggling activities, trade frauds and counterfeit goods that were identified by members as a key activity in assisting in achieving supply chain security objectives;

Regarding trade recovery, the SCCP would continue to implement activities to support trade recovery in the region by establishing a network of APEC members and developing mechanisms for trade Information exchange between customs authorities in the region on the basis of recommendations and guidelines of the World Customs Organization (WCO).

Strengthening collaboration with APEC committees, sub-fora and working groups: the SCCP continued to develop collaborative activities to facilitate border management agencies in that Customs authorities could maximize the close connection in border control activities, in association with the BWG, CTWG, ESCG and some other subcommittees, through proposals such as: anti-terrorism, travel facilitating Initiative (TFI), security programs, collecting information for document simplification and procedures related to rules of origin, chemical dialogues.

The successful organization of the SCCP2 APEC 2017 showed the positive effort and effective contribution of the SCCP in general and the Vietnam Customs in particular to the overall success of the APEC 2017 Year towards achieving the goal of seeking "new dynamic" for regional integration, connection and economic growth, while achieving the long-term goals of APEC and the Asia-Pacific on " Fostering A Shared Future"