CUSTOMS CONTROL + TRADE FACILITATION = MODERN CUSTOMS

PORT OF SPAIN (03.03.3005) – Customs modernisation and trade facilitation were the topics in focus at the one-day meeting organised by the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) and the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Trinidad and Tobago on March 1, 2005.

Participants from the Member States and Associate Members were welcomed by ACS Secretary General, Dr. Rubén Silié Valdez and by the Minister of Trade and Industry, The Honourable Kenneth Valley, Chairman of the ACS Special Committee on Trade Development and External Economic Relations.

Participants were unanimous that the modernisation of customs management was an important factor in facilitating trade in the region, and benefited from the expertise of the IDB’s Customs specialist, Ms. Beatriz Alvarez, and Regional Project Coordinator, Mr. Pablo Illarietti of the Inter-American Center of Tax Administrations, both of whom have been in charge of cooperation programs at the hemispheric level and provided substantive recommendations geared toward modernising customs management throughout the entire Caribbean and Latin America region.

The view of the private sector, as expressed by the Chairman of the Latin American Association of Express Companies (CLADEC), Mr. Francisco Santeiro, together with the participation of the Permanent Secretary of the Caribbean Customs Law Enforcement Council (CCLEC), Mr. Merton Moore, further enriched the exchange of opinions and information.

Since the efficiency of customs processes greatly influences a country’s competitiveness in the global marketplace, it is essential that customs procedures be simplified and made more efficient in order to encourage local investment and the development of the national industry. As stated by Minister Valley, “Trade facilitation represents a paradigm shift away from the sole emphasis on the revenue collection role of Customs.”

Notwithstanding, other vital elements play an essential role in developing modern controls that are needed in the global world, as administrations must also deal with the realities of combating terrorism and illegal trade. It has therefore become a real challenge for Customs Authorities to service the current demands.

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