Yerevan, Armenia, 19-21 November 2014

At the invitation of the Armenian Customs Service, the WCO conducted a workshop on the preparation and implementation of an Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) programme in Armenia from 19 to 21 November 2014. The event was funded by the German Customs Co-operation fund and facilitated by a colleague from the WCO Secretariat and a German Customs AEO expert. About 20 mid-management Customs officers benefited from the workshop, in terms of enhanced understanding of the SAFE Framework of Standards (SAFE FoS), in particular the AEO programme and its practical implementation.

The current Armenian AEO programme was legally established in May 2014 and at this stage appears to be close to a compliance programme based on the Revised Kyoto Convention provisions. It does not yet include supply chain security requirements as specified criteria.

During the Workshop, several recommendations were jointly elaborated including some related to security criteria, a phased implementation approach of the AEO programme as well as incorporating additional tangible benefits for the private sector, all with the aim to further align the future legal framework with the SAFE FoS, EU legislation and also the Eurasian Customs Union legislation.