El Head of the World Customs Organization, Kunio Mikuriya, participated on Wednesday (14.04.2021/XNUMX/XNUMX) in the virtual event “COVID-19 and vaccine equity”, for countries and drugmakers to scale up production of coronavirus vaccines and share them more widely and fairly.
At the call organized by the World Trade Organization, Kunio Mikuriya defined three challenges potential keys regarding vaccines in the supply chain and suggested how to approach them.
“Vaccines are time- and temperature-sensitive; they are high-value, with high demand and limited supply, and the scale of distribution is unprecedented,” he said.
In that context, Mikuriya proposed prioritizing customs clearance and applying physical inspections in limited circumstances, ensuring supply chain security, and streamlining and speeding up border processes to build capacity, as well as allowing shippers to quickly relocate the specialized transportation equipment used.
He also reminded participants that these points are included in the WCO Council Resolution adopted in December 2020 and are based on WCO instruments, including the Revised Kyoto Convention and the WTO Agreement on Trade Facilitation. He also illustrated the WCO's collaborative approach by highlighting several joint actions with international organizations and the private sector.
With respect to export restrictionsMikuriya reiterated the more targeted, proportionate, transparent and non-discriminatory approach, as well as the measures taken to safeguard the health and well-being of citizens during the crisis. Such restrictions should be temporary and rescinded once they are no longer necessary, according to the WCO position outlined in the 2020 joint statement with the WTO.
The WCO leader also shared the Organization's recent discussions on biosecurity borders for passengers, in order to ensure a smooth flow of goods and people.
He stressed the role of Customs in protecting society the entry into the market of counterfeit, substandard or illicit medicines, vaccines, medical supplies and equipment, and the need to implement the WCO Cross-Border Electronic Commerce Standards Framework to enable Customs to apply risk management on small packages in accordance with the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement.
La WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-IwealaIn his closing remarks, he welcomed the willingness of Members, international organizations and businesses to work together to facilitate improved production, manufacturing capacity, procurement and distribution of vaccines to save lives, speed up the end of the pandemic and accelerate global economic recovery.
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