14.00 – 15.00

Opening Remarks

Mr. Francisco Antonio Pacheco Fernandez, Acting President of Costa Rica

15.00 – 15.30

Coffee break

WCO Presentation

15.30 – 16.15

Mr. Lars Karlsson, Director

• WCO Capacity Building Strategy and programmes [es] [fr]

16.15 – 18.00

Overview of Conference Proceedings and Administrative Arrangements

Information Session on PICARD Programme Initiatives

Mrs. Riitta Passi, PICARD Programme Manager

• WCO Management Development programmes
• PICARD Professional Standards and WCO recognition procedure [es] [fr]

18:30

Welcome cocktail. With live music performed by an art group from the University of Costa Rica

09.00 – 10.30

Information Session on PICARD Programme Initiatives

Mr Mikhail Kashubski

• International Network of Customs Universities (INCU)

Prof Jhon Fonseca

• Proposed Chapter of the INCU in Central America

• CCLEC/CCES Certificate and Executive Diploma Program [es] [fr]

10.30 – 11.00

Coffee break

11.00 – 12.00

Presentations on Academic Programmes

Mr Stephane Lauwick (University of Le Havre)

Prof Jhon Fonseca (University of Costa Rica)

Prof David Widdowson (University of Canberra)

• “Recognition of Prior Learning in Customs Educational Programme – perspectives from three universities”

12. 00 – 12.30

Ms. Mariya Polner, Research Analyst, World Customs Organization

• Green Customs Initiative - “Operation Demeter” [es] [fr]

12.30 – 14.30

Lunch break

14.30 – 15.30

Presentations on Research Projects

• The impact of the economic crisis on Customs and international trade
• The impact of Regional Trade Agreements on Customs and trade, with specific reference to the proliferation of such Agreements
• The impact of climate change and environmental protection on Customs and trade

Presentations followed by Q&A session

Mr. Chiza Charles N. Chiumya, Policy Officer–Customs, African Union Commission

• “Of Regional Trade Agreements: An African Perspective of Challenges for Customs Policies and Future Strategies” [es] [fr]

• “The EU Customs Union: from regional economic integration to single action on the world trade scene” [es] [fr]

15.30 – 16.00

Coffee break

16.00 – 16.45

Presentations on Research Projects (cont)

Presentations followed by Q&A session

Dr. Santiago Ibáñez Marsilla, Professor, University of Valencia, Spain

• “Recent stimulus packages and WTO law on subsidies” [es] [fr]

09.00 – 10.30

Presentations on Research Projects (cont)

Presentations followed by Q&A session

Dr. Maureen Irish, Professor of Law, University of Windsor, Canada

• “Supply Chain Security Programmes and Border Administration”

Dr Guillermo Vilanova, Federal Administrator, Federal Administration of Public Revenues, Argentine Republic

• “Academic Reform for the training of International trade professionals”

Mr. Juha Hintsa, Senior Researcher, Cross-Border Research Association, Switzerland

• “Customs Risk Management – preliminary results of a global survey” (Hintsa J., Hameri AP., Finger M., Thibedeau C. et al.) [es] [fr]

Dr. Carsten Weerth, Senior Official, Main Customs Office, Germany

• “Cross-border control of radiological, biological and chemical active and harmful terroristic devices” [es] [fr]

10.30 – 11.00

Coffee Break

11.00 – 12.30

Presentations on Research Projects (cont)

Presentations followed by Q&A session

• “Achieving Resource Efficiency by Customs Administrations in a Constrained Economic Climate: A Critical Examination” [es] [fr]

Mr. Shujie Zhang, Technical Attaché, WCO Asia Pacific Regional Office for Capacity Building

• “TRS as Measure of Trade Facilitation: Customs Experience in Asia Pacific” [es] [fr]

Mr. Cezary Sowinski, Ph.D. student; Warsaw University of Economics, Poland

• “Exchange rate impact on origin of goods – can one be sure of accuracy of proof of origin in economic turmoil?” [es] [fr]

12.30 – 14.30

Lunch break

14.30 – 15.30

Announcements and Signings

15.30 – 16.00

Coffee break

16.00 – 17.30

Concluding Comments

Next Conference

Closing