More than 20 Customs Officials participated in a National Workshop on the Harmonized System (HS), organized jointly by the World Customs Organization (WCO) and the Vanuatu Customs & Inland Revenue Department, with the support of Euroscustoms, in Port Vila, Vanuatu, from 13 to 17 October 2014. The officials came from various sea port and air freight Customs Offices in Port Vila and Luganville.
The workshop focused on WCO Revenue Package, the HS Convention, HS Nomenclature, e-learning modules in the WCO website, the Diagnostic Tool on tariff classification work and related infrastructure, and the fundamental principles of the General Rules and practicalities of HS classification to ensure correct and uniform application of the Nomenclature.
Participants were also familiarized with the the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA). Once the TFA enters into force, WTO members are obliged to implement advance ruling programmes for tariff classification and origin of the goods
In his closing remarks, Mr. John Sala, Deputy Director of Customs, said on behalf of the Director that Vanuatu is committed to completing the process of becoming a contracting party to the HS Convention, and will certainly make effort to modernize the HS related infrastructure of Vanuatu. He advised senior Customs Officers to make good use of the course materials given to them.
Vanuatu is currently applying the 2007 version of the Harmonized System and is scheduled to adopt the 2012 Edition of the Harmonized System, once is passed in the forthcoming Parliamentary Budget Session in November/December 2014, ready for usage come 1st January 2015.