From 23 to 27 April 2018 in Port Vila (Vanuatu), the World Customs Organization (WCO) held a National Workshop to raise awareness of and prepare for the Time Release Study (TRS). This five-day Workshop was organized, with financial support from the Korea Customs Co-operation Fund (CCF/Korea), for the benefit of managerial staff from the Vanuatu Department of Customs and Inland Revenue and the stakeholders. The Workshop was led by two Experts from the WCO Secretariat in Brussels and from the Indian Customs Administration.

The Workshop, conducted in English, provided TRS training to 20 Customs officials and representatives of the stakeholders involved in the goods clearance process and enabled them to discuss an initial draft of the procedures for releasing Goods. This major Workshop included, among others, a presentation of the TRS methodology, following the WCO’s Guide, and also gave participants the opportunity to work with the WCO’s TRS software and draft an action plan. According to the draft action plan, it is expected that Vanuatu Customs Administration and the stakeholders will conduct, on their own, the first TRS in the near future so as to establish a baseline for further appreciation of progress. It should be indicated that, a Consultant hired by the Asian Development bank (ADB) has recently conducted a TRS in Vanuatu and the results of this exercise will be available soon.

In his closing speech to the Workshop, Mr. George Pakoa, representing the Director of Customs and Inland Revenue, stressed the importance of this activity, which will enable his Administration and the stakeholders to identify procedural bottlenecks affecting the release and clearance of goods and, above all, to work together on solutions to facilitate trade and improve the business climate.

Vanuatu is working hard at the implementation of trade facilitation measures and provisions included in WCO instruments and tools. Therefore, carrying out its TRS will enable this Country to comply with the requirements of Article 7.6 of the WTO TFA for which WTO Members are encouraged to measure and publish their average release time of goods periodically and in a consistent manner, using tools such as, inter alia, the Time Release Study of the World Customs Organization (WCO).

Participants regarded the Workshop as a great success that significantly enhanced their understanding of the WCO TRS guide and methodology. The WCO looks forward to continuing to provide his support to the Vanuatu Department of Customs and Inland Revenue.