From 27 to 30 March 2023, within the framework of the SECO-WCO Global Trade Facilitation Programme (GTFP), the WCO conducted a Stakeholder Engagement Workshop for the Moldova Customs Service (MSC) gathering representatives from the humanitarian actors and other government agencies to provide national support for enhancing the procedures for the Customs clearance of relief consignments and humanitarian aid.

During the workshop, a simulation exercise was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of the recently drafted Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for receiving relief goods and humanitarian aid, and all participating stakeholders reviewed their current practice to identify areas of opportunity to simplify relevant processes further.

Standard Operating Procedures developed and adopted using a whole-of-government approach enable the preparedness of any country for emergency situations. The SOPs document, developed with the support of the GTFP, will establish an efficient collaboration mechanism among Customs and other government agencies, humanitarian aid partners, and private sector stakeholders.

This Workshop was part of the work led by the GTFP with the MSC since September 2022, when the Customs Administration of Moldova joined the Programme as a Light-Touch Intervention beneficiary country to receive ad-hoc assistance to deal with emergency situations and to expedite the clearance of relief consignments and humanitarian aid, in compliance with the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) Article 7.8 on Expedited Shipments and Article 8 on Border Agency Cooperation.

For more information, please, contact capacity.building@wcoomd.org.