Two new Regional Training Centers in Europe
July 2009
Directors Generals of the Europe region strengthened WCO capacity building structures in Europe by establishing two new Regional Training Centres.
The decision taken at the last Europe Regional Heads of Customs Conference in Bergen (Norway) on the establishment of the two new Regional Training Centres (RTC) in Astana (Kazakhstan) and Skopje (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) respectively was endorsed by the WCO Council during their June 2009 annual sessions in Brussels.
A Memorandum of Understanding to open an RTC in Astana was signed in the margins of the Council sessions by the WCO Secretary General, Mr. Kunio Mikuriya, and the Chairman of the Kazakhstan Customs Control Committee, Mr. Kozu-Korpesh Karbuzov.
The opening of the RTC in Skopje is scheduled to take place not later than September 2009.
Establishment of these two new RTCs in Europe is the outcome of prominent efforts taken by Ireland, the Regional Vice Chair for Europe, to promote the WCO Capacity Building Strategy in the region.