ASEAN Customs pushes seamless trade to cushion external shocks

ASEAN Customs pushes seamless trade to cushion external shocks

The meeting aims to strengthen regional supply chain resilience in view of the rising geopolitical tensions that pose challenges to businesses across the region.

ASEAN Customs has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening regional supply chain resilience and accelerating initiatives to ensure the seamless movement of essential goods, as rising geopolitical tensions and global trade uncertainties continue to pose challenges to businesses across the region.

The commitment was made during the ‘35th Meeting of ASEAN Directors-General of Customs’, chaired by Kum Nhem, Director-General of the General Department of Customs and Excise (GDCE), and attended by representatives from the 11 ASEAN member states and the ASEAN Secretariat in Phnom Penh from June 2 to 4.

According to a joint statement, ASEAN expressed concern over tensions in the Middle East and their impact on international trade and global supply chains, which have increased uncertainty for businesses through higher logistics costs and rising prices of energy and other essential goods.

The statement said, “We reaffirmed ASEAN Customs’ commitment to maintaining and enhancing supply chain resilience to absorb the impact of external shocks, strengthening coordinated procedures to mitigate risks and supporting the continuity of private sector operations.”

“We acknowledged the task from the AEC Council to accelerate regional initiatives to ensure the seamless movement of essential goods in the region, including by enhancing transparency and predictability in customs procedures through the adoption of digital technology and expanding the ASEAN Single Window (ASW) to external partners,” the statement added.

Based on a GDCE press release issued on Friday, the ASEAN Customs Directors-General reaffirmed efforts to expand the digitalisation of customs procedures through the ASW and welcomed progress in several key regional initiatives.

These included the establishment of the Authorised Economic Operator Mutual Recognition Arrangement (AEO MRA) among ASEAN customs administrations and its expansion to ASEAN partners, the broader implementation of the ASEAN Customs Transit System (ACTS), and the exploration of customs connectivity with China.

The meeting also reviewed progress in preparing the ASEAN Harmonised Tariff Nomenclature (AHTN) 2028, commended the third joint customs operation to combat origin fraud led by GDCE, and reaffirmed the importance of continued investment in human resource capacity building.

In addition, the ASEAN Customs Directors-General welcomed the conclusion of the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA), the signing of the second protocol to amend the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA), the signing of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement (FTA) 3.0, and the continuation of negotiations on ASEAN FTA Plus agreements.

Separately, the ASEAN Customs Directors-General also held consultations with delegations from Australia, China, Japan, Korea and the World Customs Organization (WCO) to further strengthen cooperation and promote collaboration in customs matters.

khmertimeskh