The WCO organized a global Accreditation Workshop for Post-Clearance Audit (PCA) Technical and Operational Advisors at the Regional Training Centre in Shanghai, China from 22 to 26 May 2017. The event was held under the sponsorship of the Customs Cooperation Fund of China.

The WCO has established a three-phased approach to the accreditation process which includes: (1) pre-screening; (2) participation in a WCO accreditation workshop; and (3) final evaluation carried out by a qualified expert during a field mission.

On this occasion, twelve pre-selected Customs officers were invited to demonstrate their abilities and skills in the domain of PCA. Participants demonstrating the necessary level of knowledge and skills are invited through to the final stage of the process.

During the five-day intensive workshop, participants demonstrated their excellent knowledge and advisory skills through presentations, facilitation exercises and role-playing sessions. At the conclusion of the workshop, participants pledged to remain connected to ensure future cooperation and collaboration.

Taking into consideration the growing need for PCA capacity building activities, the identification and development of experts who can support the WCO in performing these tasks is crucial. Experts meeting the criteria will be called upon in the near future to facilitate PCA workshops conducted for WCO Members.