Noël Colpin, the Administrator of the Belgian Customs and Excise Administration, will be in charge of ‘Globally Networked Customs’, a high level WCO working group. ‘Globally Networked Customs’ is an important element of the WCO vision for Customs in the 21st century.

Information technology has enabled customs to be connected electronically to each other, which facilitated the exchange of information in customs operations, including border protection. Therefore the WCO issued in June 2008 ‘Customs in the 21st Century’, a document that sets out strategic direction for customs worldwide. It describes the new challenges and role of customs in the 21st century, explains customs missions and objectives underpinning it. It provides information on development of the new strategic direction for customs and explains the future role of the WCO. In particular, it highlights the coordinated border management and globally networked customs.

The new challenges of the 21st Century demand a new concept of Customs-to-Customs cooperation, a closer real-time collaboration between Customs administrations and between Customs and business in facilitating legitimate trade and undertaking Customs controls, in support of the international trading system.

Therefore a global Customs network was created in partnership between the public and the private sectors to support the international trading system, the so-called ‘e-Customs network’.

The aim of the ‘e-Customs network’ is to ensure seamless, real-time and paperless flows of information and connectivity. This includes mutual recognition of Customs controls and Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) programmes.

On September 24, 2008 OTM (the Belgian Shippers Council) organized a seminar on Supply Chain Security. During the seminar Mr. N. Colpin, Administrator of Belgian Customs & Excises, held a presentation on AEO. After this presentation the first AEO certificates in Belgium were granted by Mr. B. Clerfayt, State Secretary of Finance and Mr. N. Colpin. The first five AEO certified companies recognized in Belgium are Nitto Europe NV, Caterpillar Belgium SA, MSC Belgium NV, D&W Bvba and Evonik Degussa Antwerpen NV. Mr. Colpin also emphasized that in the mean time the Belgian audit methodology has been acknowledged by the European Commission. Currently, only 74 AEO applications, on a potential of 3.000 applications, have been submitted. At this moment 28 applications are being investigated. Given the fact that the Belgian audit methodology has been approved it is to be expected that the AEO certification process in Belgium should speed up.    Source picture: De Lloyd

On 24th and 25th September, Prologistics will take place in the Brussels Expo.  During this fair all major providers of total solutions in Warehousing, Handling, Transport, Distribution, Logistics Software, Data Capturing and Logistics Consultancy will be present. 

Several learnshops on Logistics Management will take place and awards for the fastest growing companies, active in the transport and logistics sector, will be handed over.

Moreover, O.T.M., Belgian Shippers’ Council is organising its ‘2nd Day of the Shipper’ on the hot topics of Supply Chain Security ‘Leading or threat’! on 24th September.   O.T.M offers an attractive program, with both an informative section on all sorts of mandatory security requirements and testimonies of security in practice in the business processes.  The most important announcement on the site of O.T.M is that in addition, during the ‘2nd Day of the Shipper’ the first Belgian AEO certificate will be issued.

We will keep you informed !

Kunio Mikuriya has been elected as the new Secretary General of the World Customs Organization at the Council session held on 28 June. Mr. Mikuriya has extensive international experience, and has abroad knowledge not only in the customs and trade area but also in the fields of economy, public finance, and financial markets. As Deputy Secretary General since 2002, Mr. Mikuriya has demonstrated outstanding ability to achieve outcomes highly appreciated by other international organizations such as the WTO as well as the WCO Membership, exemplifying the necessary experiences and abilities for the WCO Secretary General.

Our Belgian Administrator of Customs and Excise Noël Colpin was one of the nine candidates for this important post at the WCO. The World Customs Organization (WCO) is an international organization consisting of 171 members, which aims to promote harmonization and unification of customs procedures and international cooperation. The WCO has significantly contributed to the development of global trade and economy by securing and facilitating trade, as well as protecting intellectual property rights and the environment. The Secretary General is the chief executive of the WCO Secretariat who plans and implements the policy and budget of the WCO, including assistance to developing countries, and represents the WCO Secretariat to attend meetings of other international organizations.

On 3 June Customs4trade will be present on the AEO workshop in Namur.  This workshop is organised  by Logistics in Wallonia, ABCAL, VBO-FEB, FEBETRA, OTM, FOD-SPF Finances, UPTR and UWE.  They are also supported by the FOD-SPF Mobility and Transport. 

On the program are the lectures of Bernard Piette (Logistics in Wallonia), Vincent Reuter (UWE), Noël Colpin & Raymond Marchal (FOD-SPF Finances) and Luc Clauwaert (ABX Logistics).  Additionally, there are testimonies of companies who have already applied for AEO, such as Prayon, Garsou-Angenot and Caterpillar.  The testimonies are followed by a panel discussion which will be animated par Philippe Vandooren (Transport Echo). 

Rudy Thomaes (VBO-FEB) is concluding the programme on the subject of the Secure Trade Lanes.

The workshops starts at 9h00 and ends at 12h30 with a walking lunch.

We will provide information on our AEO services and our customs e-learning tools, developped by the WCO for which we are official distributor of the Benelux.  

We look forward to assist you. 

Location: Espace Vinçotte, Parc Scientifique Créalys, rue Phocas Lejeune 11, 5032 Isnes (Gembloux)

Participation: 40€ (VAT exclusive) per person

More information or participation ? click here