ICAO High Level Conference on Aviation Security supports ongoing cooperation with the WCO
Montreal, 12-14 September 2012
Report
More than 700 participants, including Ministers and senior security officials representing 135 countries and 27 international organizations, including the WCO, attended the ICAO High Level Conference on Aviation Security in Montreal, Canada from 12-14 September 2012 where they exchanged views on how to improve the responsiveness of all key stakeholders to aviation security threats.
On the very important topic of air cargo security, a number of working papers highlighted the need for cooperation among nations and also among relevant services and entities within countries. A number of interventions underlined the necessity for strengthening cooperation between Customs and aviation security/transport agencies, calling upon ICAO and the UPU to closely cooperate with the WCO, with a view to creating synergies and strengthening end-to-end supply chain security and facilitation.
The WCO, represented by Deputy Secretary General Sergio Mujica, reported on the progress made through cooperation among relevant agencies, organizations and industry stake holders, in particular with respect to the harmonization of the AEO and Regulated Agent programmes and also the potential for sharing certain advance cargo data received by Customs with aviation security/transport agencies.
Following the WCO's request for the Conference to endorse and support ongoing work, a number of delegations expressed their full support for this work and highlighted the need to ensure close cooperation and coordination between relevant agencies, as this would allow for utmost efficiency and effectiveness of measures for air cargo security taken by aviation security/transport agencies and Customs administrations.
The Conference confirmed its full support for the work being done by the WCO and ICAO to strengthen the security and facilitation of end-to-end supply chains. It also pointed out the need for appropriate capacity building activities which would have to take existing activities by ICAO Members, as well as organizations like the WCO, into account.