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About us > Structure of Committees > The Contact Committee for the WCO/IATA/ICAO Guidelines on Advance Passenger Information
Confirmed by the Council - June 2004
Updated - June 2005
Chairperson : Elected for a one-year term
Vice-Chairperson : Elected for a one-year term
Established : 2004
Duration : Unspecified
1. Mandate
The Contact Committee for the WCO/IATA/ICAO Guidelines on Advance Passenger Information (API) is established so that the Guidelines may be managed and maintained by the three Organizations. In doing so, the Committee will promote the implementation of the Guidelines, consider any measures to secure uniformity in the interpretation and application thereof, monitor the application of the Guidelines and consider any amendment proposed to the Guidelines.
2. Membership
The Committee shall consist of experts from all three Organizations involved. As regards representation of the WCO, the delegation shall consist of four members, at least two of whom have experience in operating an API system. With regard to representation from ICAO, the delegation shall consist of an officer from the Facilitation Section and an immigration expert nominated by ICAO. IATA shall be represented by the Assistant Director, Facilitation Services.
The Secretary General of the WCO may invite representatives of non-Member governments or of international organizations to attend meetings as observers.
3. Purpose and Scope
The Contact Committee deals with issues arising from the application of the Guidelines and, in particular, seeks means to keep the Guidelines current and reflective of the needs of Members and of industry. As these Guidelines are a cornerstone of counter-terrorism measures, the Committee is established to permit timely changes to the Guidelines.
To this end, the Contact Committee for the WCO/IATA/ICAO Guidelines on Advance Passenger Information shall :
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promote the application of the Guidelines for administrations developing API systems;
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examine questions relating to interpretation and application of the Guidelines;
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examine proposals for amendments to the Guidelines and the Appendices thereto; and
- act as a platform for the exchange of information on issues of common interest related to providing advance passenger information to the authorities.
4. Key Deliverables
The Committee shall adopt a report reflecting the discussion on the Agenda items and the conclusions reached. The Committee shall submit the details of any proposed changes to the Guidelines and the Appendices thereto to the WCO’s Permanent Technical Committee (PTC), to the ICAO Secretary-General and to IATA’s Passenger Services Conference, for their approval.
5. Means of Operation
The Contact Committee shall elect a Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson for a one-year term. The retiring Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson are eligible for re-election.
Agenda :
The Agenda for each session shall be drawn up by the Secretary General of the WCO. It shall include any proposals for amendments to the Guidelines communicated by Members or international organizations. The Agenda shall be circulated to the members of the Committee at least 30 days before the Committee meets. Working documents, especially those which may require consultation at the national level, should be available to the Committee in sufficient time to allow the appropriate consideration of the document.
6. Resources Required
Meetings :
Meetings shall be organized annually. When required, the WCO Secretariat will organize virtual meetings and establish discussion forums on the WCO Members’ Web site.
General administrative arrangements :
The general administrative arrangements for the meeting of the Committee, including the date and duration of each session and the priorities to be fixed for the items on the Committee’s Agenda, shall be the responsibility of the Secretary General of the WCO.
