At the invitation of the European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström, Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya spoke at the European Trade Policy Day held in Brussels on 23 June.
Addressing the topic “Doha and beyond-how to make the 'first best' fit with the rest”, Mr. Mikuriya highlighted the evolving role of Customs from that of a government agency focused on revenue collection to a more holistic entity, charged with ensuring competitiveness through trade facilitation and supply chain security. The WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) would establish a political environment conducive to change. The WCO has developed the standards, tools and instruments and compiled best practices necessary to ensure a smooth implementation of the various TFA provisions. In particular, the Mercator programme had raised awareness and offered the possibility of tailor-made assistance to Members.
The WCO emphasized the importance of connectivity between national agencies and international information sharing. Coordinated Border Management (CBM) based on risk management and other modern techniques would ensure streamlined border procedures.
Despite some negative predictions, and a somewhat stagnant Doha Round, the WCO would continue to work to raise awareness of the TFA and to encourage Members to implement measures to ensure the smooth flow of legitimate international trade.