Ghana Customs builds on its Rules of Origin competency

20 July 2023

Under the framework of the EU-WCO Rules of Origin Africa Programme, funded by the European Union, the World Customs Organization (WCO), in partnership with Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), held a national training workshop on rules of origin for Ghana Customs. The workshop was held in Accra, Ghana, from 10 to 14 July 2023 with the objective to assist Ghana in enhancing its knowledge and application of preferential rules of origin.

This workshop intervenes as part of a comprehensive support to Ghana and in synergy with the technical assistance and actions that the RoO Africa Programme is conducting with the ECOWAS Commission. It also complements the partnership and support provided by the European Union on RoO under the Economic Partnership Agreement.

In their opening remarks, Mr Emmanuel Ohene, Deputy Director, Suspense Regimes, Mr Alphonse Quainoo, Assistant Commissioner, Customs Training, and Ms Rosemary Addo-Parker, Assistant Commissioner, Customs Valuation Centre, thanked the WCO and the EU for their support in building capacity on rules of origin and stressed the importance of rules of origin both for Customs and other stakeholders in international trade. They recalled the mandate of Customs as tax collectors and trade facilitators and the need to improve the revenue mobilization by relying more on tax revenues.

During the workshop participants worked on key concepts for proper origin determination, related operational and procedural issues, including origin certification and origin irregularities, as well as the establishment of efficient origin management. In addition, participants discussed specific areas of concern, including the low level of knowledge and use of the FTAs and challenges linked to verification of origin including trough administrative cooperation. They also discussed recommendations for better management and implementation of rules of origin on a national and regional level.

The EU-WCO Rules of Origin Africa Programme will continue its work with Ghana Customs to equip Customs officials and relevant stakeholders with extended knowledge for efficient implementation and application of rules or origin. The Programme will conduct an advanced training as well as a training of trainers which will enable Customs to further cascade their knowledge to colleagues as well as to other relevant stakeholders.

For further information please contact EU-WCORoOAfrica.Program@wcoomd.org