U.S. Joins Revised World Customs Organization Convention

WASHINGTON, D.C.– The United States is now an official contracting party to the new World Customs Organization blueprint for modernized, efficient and transparent customs administrations in the 21st century, which is to include improved customs control, risk management, maximum use of information technology and stronger partnerships between Customs and industry.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Acting Commissioner Deborah Spero announced that the U.S. is a contracting party to the Protocol of Amendment to the World Customs Organization (WCO) Convention on the Simplification and Harmonization of Customs Procedures, which will go into effect on February 3, 2006. This Protocol of Amendment was the result of a five-year extensive review of the original 1973 Convention.

Unlike the original 1973 Convention, the Revised Convention contains a body and General Annex with standards that are binding on all Parties.

“U.S. Customs and Border Protection, along with U.S. industry, took a lead role in this revision, which also included input from WCO member customs administrations, relevant government agencies in WCO member countries, international organizations and global industry,” said Acting Commissioner Spero.

“The Revised Customs Convention will not only facilitate trade. Its role in advancing global security is even more significant today than ever envisioned in the pre-9/11 world in which it was drafted.”

Effective customs controls and risk management techniques in this Convention complement U.S. homeland security initiatives and also serve as a foundation for the WCO Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade.

Adopted unanimously by the WCO Members in June 2005, the WCO Framework of Standards provides global standards for supply chain security for implementation by the public and private sector that will secure international trade supply chains and facilitate the movement of goods globally.

The United States joins 40 other contracting states to the Revised WCO Convention. CBP will represent the U.S. at the first meeting of the Convention’s Management Committee on March 6-7, 2006, in Brussels, Belgium.