International experts addressed the problem of illicit trade at a forum held today (03.12.2020) by the Federation of Chambers and Industrial Associations of Central America and the Dominican Republic (FECAICA).
In his speech, the Vice President of the World Customs Organization (WCO) Region for the Americas and the Caribbean, Werner Ovalle, explained that “customs at the regional level make a series of efforts to address the fight against illicit trade and transnational crime, strengthening trade facilitation, reinforcing controls and, in a reactive manner, fighting against these crimes.”
At the virtual event, moderated by businessman Mariano Moyo, the Regional Vice President of the WCO highlighted, among the challenges of the 21st century, the new concept of cooperation that must exist between customs administrations and the private sector.
Ovalle thus expressed “the importance of continuing to strengthen these spaces for communication and coordination between customs and international trade actors.”
The forum also discussed the Model Law to Combat Illicit Trade and Transnational Organized Crime, which is in the process of being approved by the assembly of the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament (Parlatino).
In turn, the Ambassador and Secretary General of the Secretariat for Central American Economic Integration (SIECA), Melvin Enrique Redondo, reiterated “the support from SIECA to continue working closely with regional authorities, particularly with customs, and we hope to soon have the proposal for the Model Law in order to carry out the corresponding analysis.”
Illicit trade is a highly complex phenomenon whose manifestations cannot be resolved with isolated policies carried out only at the national level. For this reason, the authorities and the private sector in Central America have joined forces to share best practices and propose coordinated actions to combat it.
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.
