WCO Working Group Agrees to Initiatives to Expedite E-Commerce Processing
The World Customs Organization (WCO) Working Group on E-Commerce agreed on actions to streamline e-commerce transactions globally, during an Oct. 10-13 meeting at WCO headquarters in Brussels, the WCO announced. The working group in the coming months plans to release a resolution on cross-border e-commerce advocating for an international standards framework for e-commerce principles, including advance electronic data, trade facilitation and simplification, safety and security, revenue collection, capacity building and legislation, the WCO said.
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The WCO also expects to circulate a communique on e-commerce outlining the “international Customs community’s position” during the World Trade Organization’s 11th Ministerial Conference set for Buenos Aires Dec. 10-13. Further, the working group expects to release in coming months an updated version of the WCO Immediate Release Guidelines, which provide guidance to customs administrations and the trade community to expedite the release and clearance of low-value and small e-commerce shipments and parcels, which recently have been increasing in volume, the WCO said. These “tools and instruments” will be examined in further detail during October WCO Permanent Technical Committee sessions and a December WCO Policy Commission session, the WCO said.