From 22 to 24 March 2023,  within the framework of the SECO-WCO Global Trade Facilitation Programme (GTFP), the WCO delivered a capacity building assistance to the Customs Administration of Serbia (CAS) to enhance their AEO-Programme aligned with the SAFE Framework of Standards and the Article 7.7 of WTO TFA.

The mission aimed to follow up on the development of the AEO strategy implementation action plan to enhance and finalize it. Moreover, to ensure that the CAS AEO team is equipped to effectively implement its multi-year action plan, capacity building efforts were undertaken in the areas of AEO validation, Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRA), and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) based on the recent WCO materials developed.

The WCO experts worked with the CAS AEO team and held discussions with private sector representatives, comprising AEO and non-AEO companies, to receive their inputs for the Action Plan, reviewing the challenges and opportunities. The feedback from the trade was taken into consideration as valuable insight for identifying areas of improvement.

After the deliberations, the strategic action plan, which includes a communication strategy, has been fine-tuned by the CAS AEO team for the next 5 years. Effective implementation of this strategic action plan will enhance the CAS AEO Programme, increase its attractiveness to the broader trade community, and strengthen its communication strategy.

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