Donors assist the Americas region with the design and implementation of the WCO’s Authorized Economic Operator Programme
13 to 16 October 2009
The Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), the WCO and Spain’s Agency for International Cooperation for Development (AECID) and Internal Revenue Service launched an Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Project for the Americas during a Workshop held in Santa Cruz de la Sierra (Bolivia) from 13 to 16 October 2009.
The importance of trade facilitation and being competitive in today’s international market prompted the IADB, Spain’s AECID and Internal Revenue Service and the WCO to jointly provide the Americas region with assistance in implementing the WCO’s AEO Programme. Various developed countries currently have programmes up and running and are moving towards mutual recognition. At a recent WCO Meeting of Regional Directors General of Customs, the majority of Directors General in attendance identified implementation of this Programme as one of their priorities.
From 13 to 16 October 2009 the IADB, in collaboration with Spain’s AECID and Internal Revenue Service and with the support of the WCO, officially launched the project to assist five Latin American Countries (Uruguay, Peru, Colombia, Panama and the Dominican Republic) with the implementation of an AEO Programme. Ecuador, Bolivia, Nicaragua and El Salvador participated in the event with observer status. Argentina, which currently has an AEO Programme, took part in order to provide insight into the Programme’s implementation and the Administration’s current experience thereof.
Spain’s Internal Revenue Service has agreed to supply a specific technical advisor to each project Member in order to assist with the development of their Programme. Donors will continue to provide support and assistance in a co-ordinated and collaborative manner. The project sets out a two-year timeframe for final implementation of an AEO Programme, however, it is likely that some project Members will have implemented their Programme long before that deadline is reached.