The International Federation of Customs Brokers Associations (IFCBA) marked its 25th anniversary by holding its Board of Directors meeting at WCO headquarters on 18 and 19 May 2015.
WCO Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya addressed the meeting to stress the importance of the partnership between Customs and Customs brokers, given that Customs performance is often affected by that of service providers, including Customs brokers. Bearing in mind the need to maintain a quality service by and cooperation with Customs brokers, he explained that the WCO was carrying out a survey of its Members’ institutional frameworks for Customs brokers.
During their interaction with Secretary General Mikuriya, representatives of the IFCBA expressed an interest in working with Customs to adjust their way of doing business to the evolving trade environment, including electronic data transfer, and in assisting small and medium-sized enterprises participate in the increasingly complex global trading system. They also discussed the need to provide capacity building for brokers and to improve integrity.
Mr. Shantanu Bhadkamkar, Chairman of the IFCBA, expressed his appreciation for WCO support in improving Customs brokers' operations and stated that, with its network of people working at borders, the IFCBA was confident that it could play a role in contributing to efficient border procedures and thereby economic competitiveness, including enabling small and medium-sized enterprises to benefit from international trade.
-----------------------
Photo caption:
Group photo of the participants at the meeting to mark the IFCBA’s 25th anniversary