Around 40 experts from Customs administrations and postal operators met in Bern, Switzerland on 10 and 11 December 2019 in the framework of the WCO-UPU Contact Committee, where participants discussed the challenges and way forward related to the implementation of electronic advance data (EAD) exchange, how to secure data quality, cooperation between Customs and Posts, potential integration and harmonization of the data of CN22/23, etc.
The Contact Committee approved the ‘Joint WCO-UPU Guidelines on data capture and compliance with the CN22/23 (flow zero)’, aimed at enhancing data quality and thereby increasing compliance with Customs regulations. The Guidelines cover challenges and enablers in the EAD context, data quality considerations, instruments and tools, the CN22 and CN23 declaration forms and their electronic equivalents (ITMATT, CUSTIM), and best practices.
The Contact Committee was briefed on the results of the 2019 joint WCO-UPU workshops, with which participants were fully satisfied; following the approval of the Committee, the 2020 joint WCO-UPU workshops will be organized based on the needs expressed by Members.
After discussions on the current state of play regarding EAD exchanges and readiness and the update on pre-loading advance cargo information (PLACI) for air cargo/mail security, experts from Customs administrations and postal operators shared new and emerging regulatory/procedural developments concerning EAD exchange between Customs and Posts, data privacy and protection regulations, and pre-loading EAD requirements, especially in relation to the Strengthen Opioid Misuse Prevention (STOP) Act and the ICS-2 system.
As for security and safety matters, the UPU and WCO Secretariats briefed the meeting on the S58/S59 UPU Security Standard and the SAFE Framework of Standards, including the latter’s 3- year review cycle in 2021, and there was an update on WCO authorized economic operator (AEO) status for the Posts. This was followed by a discussion on dangerous goods and opioids in international mail, illicit trade and tobacco smuggling via the postal chain, the UPU search tool on prohibited and restricted articles in the international postal flow, and the UPU artificial intelligence (AI) item intercept prototype and pilot.
The UPU Secretariat announced that the 1st Rail-UPU Contact Committee meeting will be held in February 2020; this Contact Committee will be comprised of representatives of the UPU, the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail (OTIF) and the Organization for Cooperation of Railways (OSJD), as well as observers such as the WCO, European Commission (EC), International Rail Transport Committee (CIT), etc. The Rail-UPU Contact Committee will deal with the facilitation of international postal rail transport between China and Europe, including issues related to guidelines on mail transport by rail, standardized operational processes, possibilities for EDI messages, transit procedures, security, etc.
Looking to the future, the Contact Committee adopted its work plan, which contains tangible deliverables to support the identified priorities in terms of improving the security and efficiency of the postal chain.