The WCO conducted a five-day Workshop on Post Clearance Audit (PCA) for a number of its Members in South America, from 13 to 17 March 2017, in cooperation with the Customs administration of Chile, and sponsored by the WCO Customs Cooperation Fund (CCF).

The Workshop served as a pilot in order to respond to national workshop requests which have no available funding. Originally, this Workshop was intended to be a national one funded by the CCF, but Members whose PCA national workshop requests had not yet been funded were also invited to attend. Although participation was limited to two persons from guest Members, they had the opportunity to benefit from in-depth technical training on PCA issues.

Forty-one participants, representing six countries, ranging from auditors to PCA managers, attended the Workshop, which was designed to assist administrations in identifying the necessary steps to implement the provisions of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement, particularly as it relates to PCA. Such workshops are aimed at supporting Customs administrations in implementing more effective PCA in accordance with the WCO PCA Guidelines, and include the risk management cycle and case studies to enhance participants’ technical knowledge in this respect.

The Chilean Director of Enforcement, Javier Uribe, and the Chief of the Department of Post Clearance Enforcement, Ruben Parra, welcomed the participants and WCO facilitators, and expressed their gratitude and the importance of having the WCO provide the Workshop at their request.

Presentations given by the WCO facilitators included the WCO’s Concept and Policy on PCA, PCA Operations and Resource Management. The highlight of the Workshop were the practical exercises on risk-based targeting, pre-audit research, and examination of books and records. Participants were fully involved in all aspects of the exercises and enthusiastically presented their findings. Participants from Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico and Peru presented their policies and case studies which encouraged active discussion on the different experiences and techniques in their respective administrations.

At the close of the Workshop, participants expressed positive feedback, with the Chilean participants indicating that they were on the right path insofar as the implementation of PCA in their administration was concerned.