Dubai Customs has adopted an Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) programme, which aims through strategic partnerships to better secure and facilitate global supply chains, as per the World Customs Organization’s SAFE Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade (SAFE Framework). The move is in line with Dubai Customs’ vision to be "The leading Customs administration in the world supporting legitimate trade."

"The AEO Programme will grant us a bundle of benefits, including higher predictability in the global supply chain, which aids in better planning and management of supply chain logistics," said H.E. Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Chairman of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation - Dubai.

"It will also reduce physical and documentary controls, ultimately leading to the simplification of procedures and smooth trading."

H.E. Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director of Dubai Customs said, "The AEO programme will bring together all stakeholders in the global supply chain both from the government and private sector.

"By launching this AEO programme, we are positioning Dubai and the UAE to be in the vanguard of countries heading toward full and successful implementation of the WCO’s SAFE Framework which addresses Customs-to-Customs, Customs-to-Business, and Customs-to-Other-Government and Inter-Government-Agencies interactions that make for a safer, healthier and more transparent global trade environment."

Mr. Musabih further noted that AEOs would benefit from simplified Customs procedures, including pre-arrival shipment clearance, preferential Customs treatment, and Customs advice upon request.

To attain such benefits, businesses are required to be validated by Dubai Customs authorities as meeting, among other things, appropriate compliance levels.

Dubai Customs will ensure the availability of technological resources to secure and facilitate trade.

As global trade grows, security threats have become more prominent amid the international movement of goods which is why the WCO adopted the SAFE Framework in 2005.

In the build-up to World Expo 2020 in Dubai, the adoption and implementation of the AEO programme is expected to further enhance the stature of Dubai as a leading global hub of trade and business.