Authorities from the World Customs Organization (WCO) held a virtual meeting on July 21, 2020, to make Central America and the Caribbean (Region of the Americas and the Caribbean) digital, competitive, and integrated, reported the international organization dedicated to helping member countries cooperate and communicate with each other on customs matters.
El release indicates that "Mr. Ricardo Treviño Chapa, Assistant Secretary General of the World Customs Organization (WCO), organized a virtual meeting with Mr. Werner Ovalle, Director General of Customs of Guatemala and new Vice President of the WCO Americas/Caribbean Region«.
"Both officials agreed on the importance of the Workplan contribute to the integration of the region and the fulfillment of its objectives and interests, thus strengthening the interactions of the Vice President with the WCO, its Members, the Regional Bureau for Capacity Building (ROCB), international organizations and private sector stakeholders in the Americas/Caribbean region," explains the official text.
Ovalle reiterated the commitment of his own Customs Administration to work in coordination with the WCO and with all the Customs Administrations of the Americas and the Caribbean, so that the region is digital, competitive and integrated..
agreed actions at the meeting included:
(i) monthly coordination and monitoring meetings; (ii) presentations of regional initiatives based on WCO instruments such as the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Programme, Time Release Study (TRS), Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC), Single Window, Risk Management and Coordinated Border Management; (iii) support of the ROCB; (iv) promotion of the participation of the Private Sector Consultative Group (PSCG) in the activities carried out under the regional Vice-Presidency; (v) promotion of the WCO Mercator Programme, which allows countries in the region to benefit from technical support and monitoring of the implementation of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement; and (vi) promotion of workshops for the accreditation of WCO experts in the region.
During the meeting, the importance of promoting the use of the Spanish language in the WCO as a regional priority was also highlighted. Role played by Customs in facilitating the international movement of goods and minimize the overall impact of the crisis on economies and societies as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Finally, "the value of using technology to continue working for the well-being and interests of the Americas and the Caribbean region was highlighted," the statement said.
Aduana News is the first Argentine customs newspaper to launch its digital version. With 20 years of experience, its publications and initiatives aim to provide the most relevant knowledge on customs issues in order to contribute to safe trade in the region.
