Opening of the 25th Meeting of ASEAN Directors-General of Customs

The 25th Meeting of ASEAN Directors-General of Customs reviewed the working progress of committees and working groups of ASEAN Customs, including: Customs Coordinating Committee, the Working Group on Procedures and Facilitation trade, the Working Group on implementation and compliance in Customs, the Working Group on Customs’ capacity and the Steering Committee of the ASEAN Single Window.

In recent times, the main achievements in cooperation and Customs integration of ASEAN included:

The completion of negotiations about ASEAN Harmonized Tariff Nomenclature (AHTN) of 2017 version,

General guidelines for the operation of Customs cooperation in the period 2016-2025, and

identification of key performance indicators (KPIs) for Customs under the direction of the ASEAN Economic Ministers.

During the meeting, the Directors-General of Customs also recognized achievements and proposals of Members in accelerating the signing of Protocol 2 (Designation of Frontier Posts) and Protocol 7 (Customs Transit System) as soon as possible to implement the ASEAN Framework Agreement on the Facilitation of Goods in Transit (AFAFGIT).

According to the agenda, Directors General of the ASEAN Customs will also note the development process of the ASEAN Single Window (ASW), especially the beginning of exchanging electronic data about C/O form D under the Agreement on Trade in Goods of ASEAN (ATIGA) between the member states. Currently, the Protocol of ASW legal framework, regulations and legal issues related to the implementation of ASW in the member states of ASEAN are being conducted for approval. Vietnam is one of the first countries to approve this Protocol.

Directors-General of Customs will also conduct consultations with the leaders of Customs of China, Japan and South Korea to strengthen Customs cooperation in the area.

In order to enhance Customs-Business partnership in ASEAN, the consultations with the business community which will be held during the 25th Meeting of ASEAN Directors-General of Customs include:

Consultation with Union US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC),

Asia Pacific Express Carriers (CAPEC) and

The first consultation with the EU-ASEAN Business Council (EUABC).

The meeting is expected to finish on May 27, 2016. The information about the meeting will be updated by Customs News.

Delegates in the 25th meeting of the ASEAN Directors – General of Customs