The World Customs Organization (WCO) is pleased to announce the publication of the second edition of the Mercator Programme Report.
The Mercator Programme, launched in June 2014, is the WCO’s flagship initiative supporting Members and governments worldwide to implement trade facilitation measures, particularly those associated to the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), expeditiously and in a harmonized manner by the application of WCO tools and instruments. With a wealth of expertise and experience in global Customs technical assistance and capacity building the Mercator Programme provides tailor-made support for implementing trade facilitation measures. Based on a long-standing history of cooperation with the WTO, other international organizations and the private sector, the Mercator Programme acts as an important vehicle for coordinating the needs and priorities of all concerned stakeholders.
The first edition of the Mercator Programme Report covered the period from its launch in 2014, through to 2018 and provided an overview of the emergence of the Mercator Programme’s during its first four years. It offered insights into the approaches, the tools, the people and the partners that define the achievements and distinctiveness of the Mercator Programme.
The second edition now covers the period up to June 2020 and provides a current overview and highlights some common implementation challenges, outlining how the Mercator Programme is assisting Members in providing tailor-made solutions, delivering relevant support activities to overcome them and then monitoring and recording implementation progress. The report also includes a series of descriptive case studies that demonstrate the connection between the TFA and the real-world application of WCO instruments that are already delivery tangible achievements in many Member administrations with regard to effective TFA implementation.
Since its outbreak, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused major disruptions to cross-border trade movements across the world. It is now even more critical that Customs administrations continue to facilitate the international movement of goods to help minimize the overall impact of the pandemic on economies and societies. The Mercator Report reflects on how Customs administrations should continue to maintain a coordinated and proactive approach with concerned agencies to ensure the integrity of the global supply chain. In this regard, the WCO Secretariat has been exploring and utilizing alternative arrangements that have allowed the WCO to continue providing its technical assistance and capacity building support, including through the Mercator Programme, by using various on-line tools and remote delivery activities.
The WCO Secretary-General, Dr. Kunio Mikuriya, when launching of the Mercator Report, noted;
“The production of the Mercator Programme Report is based on an appreciation of the importance of documenting the work of Members and the WCO in implementing the TFA, which is engaging and reflective of the uniqueness of the WCO and of its position as the global centre of excellence in Customs matters. It also demonstrates the “how-to” approach that helps to further develop the peer-to-peer relationships within the global Customs community that define the WCO.
For more information please contact;
capacity.building@wcoomd.org
facilitation@wcoomd.org or visit our website: www.wcoomd.org