The Association of Professional Customs Brokers of the Americas (ASAPRA) and the International Customs Law Academy (ICLA) held their annual meeting at WCO Headquarters, from 4-6 September 2013. The main topic of the meeting was "Studies on Harmonization of Customs Law and Contributions of the Academy for updating and improving the WCO instruments".

During the opening ceremony, WCO Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya welcomed the participants to the international home of the Customs community, and congratulated both ASAPRA and ICLA on their important contribution to the Customs-Business partnership and to the development of knowledge to support Customs modernization.

The President of ASAPRA, Mr. Alejandro Ramos, recognized the WCO's leadership in fostering a positive environment that promotes Customs modernization, and welcomed the increased level of cooperation and partnership between the WCO and ASAPRA.

In his keynote speech, Deputy Secretary General Sergio Mujica presented the main activities and developments of the WCO, emphasizing the WCO's Strategic Plan and the four WCO strategic packages, as recently approved by the Council.

Both Mr. Ramos and Mr. Andrés Rohde, President of ICLA, expressed their gratitude to Secretary General Mikuriya for having accepted to host these meetings at WCO Headquarters in Brussels.