Consistent with its Strategic Plan 2017-2022 to promote the facilitation of legitimate trade amongst members, the OCO with the financial support of Korea Customs Service will hold a Regional Workshop on the Implementation of the WTO TFA in Korea from 13 to 16 June, 2017. The Workshop will be the first collaborative activity arising out of the Memorandum of Understanding signed by OCO and KCS in March 2017.
Although only eight of the OCO members are members of WTO, the majority are parties to (and negotiating) preferential trade agreements and including PACER Plus and which the Customs provisions are based on WTO Agreements. Consequently, it is in the interest of OCO members to put into place laws and procedures that would enable them to give effect to the TFA arrangements at both the regional and national levels.
To strengthen inter regional sharing of knowledge and experience on trade facilitation, the Workshop will also include participation of five Caribbean countries. The Caribbean countries will funded by the World Bank. The common social and economic conditions apparent in both the Caribbean and the Pacific economies provides a good platform for exchanges on lessons and best practices. The World Bank have also completed TFA Assessments for a number of Pacific Island countries and these assessments will also be discussed during the Workshop. Whilst it is noted that all the measures will be implemented at national level, there will be some activities that can be coordinated at regional level to support the implementation of the TFA. In this regard, members will also develop Action Plan to outline specific activities to be coordinated at regional level.
The Workshop will be facilitated by Korea Customs Service, New Zealand Customs Service, World Customs Organisation, World Bank and OCO.
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