The WCO Private Sector Consultative Group (PSCG) met for the 41st time at the WCO headquarters on 3 and 4 July 2017. The meeting was chaired by Mr. John Mein from PROCOMEX and attended by representatives from 17 of the 21 PSCG members – AAEI, BMW, CATERPILLAR, E-BAY, FIATA, FONASBA, FONTERRA, GEA, HAIER, HUAWEI, IATA, ICC, IFCBA, MICROSOFT, OPORA, PROCOMEX and SAAFF.

During their two-day meeting, the PSCG discussed a number of very topical matters and developments, including current threats of protectionism to free trade, the state of trade facilitation and the implementation of the WTO TFA agreement and e-commerce. WCO members also attended part of the meeting and presented current WCO work programmes, including the upcoming review of the Revised Kyoto Convention and encouraged PSCG members to take an active role in this review work. The Secretary General, Kunio Mikuriya, also addressed the PSCG on its first day on issues relating to the current state of international trade.

Following the PSCG meeting, a dialogue between Policy Commission and PSCG members including Trade Observers was held to discuss current challenges with regard to free trade and globalization.  During break-out groups representatives from both the Customs administrations and private sector discussed the current problem landscape and what the international Customs community can do in collaboration with the private sector to support economic and social development and growth through the application of trade facilitation principles and measures.