In Boston, Massachusetts, the Convention was signed today (17.04.2023/XNUMX/XNUMX) Mutual Recognition Agreement (ARM) between the Programs Authorized Economic Operator of Colombia (OAS) and CTPAT (Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism) from the USA
The signing was achieved after extensive and productive technical work, in which the National Tax and Customs Directorate (DIAN) through the Customs Management Directorate and the United States Customs and Border Protection Office (CBP, in English), which found compatibilities of their OAS and CTPAT programs, through a comparative study of its regulations and field validation procedures.
The figure of the Authorized Economic Operator was conceived by the World Customs Organization (WCO) to promote the implementation of security measures in the logistics chains of member countries, based on the risk assessment of each organization, so that they could address the global risks that affect them.
Thus, Colombia adheres to this proposal and adopts the OAS under a strong interinstitutional scheme which involves the control authorities that operate at the border: DIAN, the Anti-Narcotics Directorate of the National Police, Invima, ICA, DIMAR and the Superintendency of Transportation. This approach has earned it recognition as one of the most rigorous and comprehensive programs in the region.
"We hope that this Mutual Recognition Agreement will provide greater competitiveness to Colombian products, contribute to securing their logistics, strengthening the trade relationship between both countries and ensuring the security of the international supply chain in foreign trade operations," said Luis Carlos Reyes Hernández, General Director of the DIAN.
“There are few countries that have implemented an Authorized Economic Operator program with such a high level and with such high intergovernmental cooperation and collaboration (…) Without a robust and well-established program, this agreement would not have been possible,” added Carlos Ochoa, Branch Chief Communications, Standards, and Policy CTPAT.
Benefits to companies
This agreement is expected to bring significant benefits to AEO users in the signatory countries, including:
- Inclusion as a variable in customs, health and police risk systems: the behavior will be reflected in a reduction of inspections.
- Attention preferential treatment by customs officials for AEOs.
- Adoption of mechanisms to give continuity to operations in case of interruptions in the flow of trade.
- Exchange of experiences and best practices in logistics security.
- Promotion of actions with other countries or economic blocks to secure international supply chains.
- Improvement in the prediction of merchandise movements from one territory to another, impacting the security and competitiveness.
- Exchange of more fluid information and automated with risk systems through modern technologies such as blockchain.
With the ARM, it is expected that the greater competitiveness for AEO companies will impact the more than 14 billion dollars that the Colombian exportable offer represents today in products such as flowers, bananas, coffee, vegetables, palm oil, confectionery, manufacturing, glass, among others.
Interesting Facts
- The program CTPAT was first in the world in security of the international supply chain.
- Today has More than 11.400 operators including importers, shippers, manufacturers and other companies throughout the supply chain.
- Colombia has 673 authorized foreign trade operators AEO, occupying second place in Latin America after Mexico.
- The foreign trade exchange figures for exports of Colombian OEA companies went from representing 4% of the total FOB (Free on Board) value in 2017 to 26% in 2021. On the other hand, imports rose from 4% to 34% of the total CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight) value in the same period.
- The DIAN strengthened the operational capacity increasing to 38 the number of full-time officials dedicated to this work at the Central Level, together with the more than 67 officials from the Sectional Directorates that support the processing of applications.
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