WCO Economic
Competitiveness Package
“Expert Group Meeting
on
Transport and Trade Facilitation in ESCWA region”
10-11 April 2013, Dubai
Economic Competitiveness Package
• Background
 Economic
uncertainty due to ongoing Global Financial Crisis
 WTO negotiations
 Regional integration
• Customs’ contribution
 Promote
Revised Kyoto Convention and other tools
 Enhance cooperation among all stakeholders in international trade
 Share best practices among Members
 Develop new tools as appropriate
 Capacity building
2
ECP: Economic effects
Poverty
reduction/
Prosperity
Economic growth
Job creation and and competitiveness
increased
Better export government
performance revenue
and more FDI
Advantage
for firms
Reduction
of trade
costs
WCO instruments
• Customs in 21st Century
• Revised Kyoto Convention
• SAFE Framework of Standards, etc.
ECP
Examples of Trade Facilitation Interventions
• Better border and Customs management
• Improved infrastructure
• Open and competitive market in logistics and service sector
• Harmonized regional standards
3
ECP: Conceptual chart
Integrity
SAFE
Framework
of Standards
Risk
Management
Compendium
Transit
Time Release
Study Guide
Data
Model
Single Window
Compendium
Authorized
Economic
Operator
Revised
Kyoto
Convention
SMEs
Informal
Sector
Globally
Networked
Customs
Coordinated
Border
Management
Information
Exchange
4
PC/Council recommendation: Way forward

Action Plan in December
Regional
outreach to assess Members’ needs
Case studies to share best practices
Develop new or adapt existing tools as necessary
Capacity building

Promotion of Revised Kyoto Convention
Strategic
discussion on the role of RKC Management Committee
Implementation, interpretation and systematic review
5
Kyoto Communiqué (WCO Policy Commission December 2012)
11. Policymakers worldwide have articulated the positive impact that international trade and
trade facilitation have on economic recovery and sustainable growth. As the central public
sector border agency, Customs administrations are integral to the smooth movement of goods,
conveyances and people across borders.
12. To that end, the WCO has contributed - through its standards, tools, and technical
assistance - support for increasing economic growth and competitiveness by Members. This
culminated in the adoption of the innovative Economic Competitiveness Package (ECP) at the
119th/120th Council Sessions in June 2012.
13. The ECP assists Customs administrations with border management responsibilities and
supports regional integration. The ECP could provide practical implementation guidance in
preparation for any future WTO agreement on trade facilitation. Under the ECP, the WCO is
collecting innovative and best practices on matters such as coordinated border management
(CBM); IPR border enforcement; small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs); informal trade
practices; and transit.
14. The Policy Commission endorsed the ECP Action Plan and urged its steady
implementation through technical assistance, including needs assessment and gap analysis.
The Policy Commission also encouraged regional entities to develop programmes to
implement the ECP in co-operation with the WCO and regional development banks.
6
Action Plan
4 Areas and 21 Actions for
the enhancement of Economic Competitiveness
Awareness-raising and Member’s needs assessment
Regional seminars/workshops, Publication, Needs assessments, etc.
Promotion of existing instruments and Tools
Regional strategic plan, Capacity building, Donor coordination
meeting,
Accreditation of more experts, E-learning for the RKC, etc.
Collection and dissemination of innovative and best practices
Collection and dissemination of innovative and best practices on existing tools
and Informal trade, SMEs, CBM and Transit, etc.
Development and elaboration of the ECP
Development of new tools, Further research on ECP,
regular report to the PTC, etc.
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Development of the ECP
Council
June
2012
PTC
Nov
2012
PC
Dec
2012
PC &
Council
June 2013
Dec
2013
Dec
2014
Concept of ECP
Adopted
List of components
ECP
Schedule of instruments and
tools
(technical explanation)
Adopted
Discussion
List of tools for
accession to the RKC
Discussion
Research Paper
Discussion
Action Plan
Best practices
New instruments or tools for the
ECP
Discussion
Adopted
Collecting Best Practices
Approval
Development of new tools
(where appropriate)
Approval
Capacity Building
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Schedule of existing instruments and tools
The Schedule provides technical details of all related instruments and tools.
It describes prime text and supporting instruments & tools in each area.
(Example)
2-4 Risk Management
INSTRUMENT
2-4-1
Revised Kyoto
Convention (RKC)
Section 1 - PRIME TEXT
DESCRIPTION AND AVAILABILITY
Standards 6.3 to 6.5 of the General Annex to the Revised Kyoto
Convention set out principles of Customs Risk management. The
Guidelines to these Standards cover many aspects of risk management,
including control method, supporting infrastructure and examples of a
Customs control process.
The Legal Text is available here.
The Guidelines are available on the WCO online shop.
Section 2 - SUPPORTING INSTRUMENTS & TOOLS
INSTRUMENT/TOOL
2-4-2 The
Compendium on Risk
Management
DESCRIPTION AND AVAILABILITY
The Compendium was adopted by the Customs Co-operation Council in
2011
- The compendium contains the systematic application of management
procedures and practices which provide Customs with the necessary
information to address movements or consignments which present a
risk.
The Compendium is available here.
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5 Areas and Examples of tools and instruments
1. Transparency & Predictability
Publication, Establishment of Official Website, Establishment of Enquiry Points, Advance Ruling, etc.
Revised Arusha
Declaration
Recommendation on the
use of world wide web
sites by Customs
Recommendation on the
application of HS
Committee Decisions
Technical Guidelines on
Binding Origin
Information
2. Modernized Procedures & formalities
Formalities and Requirements, Simplified Procedures, Risk Management, Audit Based Control, AEO, etc.
SAFE
Framework
of Standard
AEO
Guideline
Post Clearance
Audit Guideline
Compendium
on Risk
Management
Customs Guidelines on
Integrated Supply Chain
Management
Istanbul
Convention
ATA
Convention
3. Use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
Standardization & harmonization of sets of data, Unique Consignment Reference, Single Window, etc.
WCO Data Model
WCO Unique
Consignment Reference
WCO Single Window
Compendium
4. Partnership and Cooperation
Customs to Customs Partnerships, Customs to Business Partnership, etc.
SAFE Framework
of Standard
Model Bilateral
Agreement
Nairobi
Convention
5. Performance Measurement
Time Release Study, Customs International Benchmarking
TRS Guide
Customs International
Benchmarking Manual
10
WTO TF measures referenced to
WCO instruments and tools
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Action Plan - Regional needs
Considering the fact that WCO Members’ needs in
respect of the ECP are very different, the
adequate assessment of such needs is definitely
important for the implementation and the
development of the ECP.
WCO will Organize regional workshops/seminars
for the ECP in all WCO regions by June 2014
12
Thank you
Milena Budimirović
Technical Officer
Procedures and Facilitation Sub-Directorate
World Customs Organization (WCO)
milena.budimirovic@wcoomd.org