The WCO Secretary General, Dr. Kunio Mikuriya, and the Chairman of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) of India, Mr. Pranab Kumar Das, met on 8 April 2019 to mark the establishment of the Indian Customs Cooperation Fund (CCF India).

CCF India will provide financial support, in an amount of 50 million Indian rupees (approximately 643,000 euro), to developing and least-developed WCO Members, and particularly to small island economies in South Asia.  Based on Members’ identified needs and priorities, the Fund will cover capacity building activities focused on trade facilitation and the implementation of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement, compliance and enforcement, and Customs modernization.

During the meeting, Secretary General Mikuriya expressed his gratitude to India for this significant financial contribution and welcomed CBIC’s initiative to bolster WCO capacity building activities. 

CBIC Chairman Das was pleased to see that the efforts made had led to the establishment of the CCF India, demonstrating India’s readiness to play a part in the development of Customs capacity in partnership with the WCO.

The WCO is grateful for the ongoing cooperation between the WCO and CBIC and looks forward to further supporting Members through the new CCF India.