APEC Customs-Business Dialogue calls for Neutral Referee to be Involved in the Implementation of International Supply Chain Security Measures
The APEC Customs-Business Dialogue has called for a neutral "referee" to promote transparency and business confidence in the process of implementing more stringent supply chain security measures around the APEC region.
This was one of the central outcomes presented to the APEC Sub-Committee on Customs Procedures (SCCP) meeting in Phuket this week following the Customs-Business Dialogue in Bangkok on Monday.
Supply chain security covers areas from the sourcing of raw materials, through production and shipping to the final purchase by the consumer of a product. The primary concern for customs authorities and businesses involved in supply chain security is that the supply chain could be violated by malicious act carried out by criminals or terrorists.
The earlier Customs-Business Dialogue was attended by more than 300 delegates from the business sector, government and international organizations and discussed a range of issues relating to the topic "Trade Facilitation and Supply Chain Security: How Can they be converged?"
Chair of the SCCP, Ms. Naengnoi Na Ranong, said that the SCCP is fully committed to working with the business community in reconciling trade facilitation and security of the international trade supply chain.
"The Bangkok dialogue has produced three recommendations to ensure that increased supply chain security is business friendly," Ms. Ranong said.
"Business needs clarity and transparency of cost allocation in the implementation of supply chain security measures. Who will pay for specific aspects of improved supply chain security and how they will pay is an important issue for business.
"Secondly, there must also be a high level of government consultation with the private sector to ensure business can prepare for the introduction of new security measures.
"In the past two years there have been a number of new supply chain security measures introduced around the region. For the most part these new measures have been implemented with minimal disruption to trade. In numerous cases the introduction of electronic and paperless processing systems involved in these new measures have increased business efficiency.
"Finally the dialogue agreed that there should be an independent entity involved in the supply chain security process, such as the World Customs Organization, to participate as an independent referee. This entity should have the role of receiving inputs from both the government and the private sector to advise on the best means to implement supply security measures.
"These recommendations from the Dialogue are inline with the desire of all economies to ensure security in trade without compromising efforts to facilitate increased trade in the APEC region."
The APEC Customs-Business Dialogue was attended by over 300 delegates from around the APEC region at the Montien Riverside Hotel in Bangkok and involved a joint session of all delegates and then separate forums on Maritime Security and Air Cargo Security.
Guest speakers at the dialogue included high level representatives from the World Customs Organization, Royal Thai Customs, United States Customs Service, Australian Customs Service, and the ASEAN Freight Forwarders' Association. Speakers from the business community included senior executives from Thai Airways, United Parcel Services, PricewaterhouseCoopers and DHL.
The SCCP is tasked with overseeing the strategic direction for APEC customs initiatives and is meeting in Phuket until August 16 in the lead up to the meeting of the APEC Committee on Trade and Investment and Senior Officials Meeting over the following week.