23rd CAREC Customs Cooperation Committee Meeting
The 23rd Meeting of the CAREC Customs Cooperation Committee (CCC) was held on 15-16 August 2024 in Astana, Kazakhstan, and attended by high-level customs officials from Azerbaijan, the People’s Republic of China, Georgia, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
The CCC noted the implementation progress of member countries, including Azerbaijan, the People’s Republic of China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, in acceding to the Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Cross-border Paperless Trade in Asia and the Pacific. The CCC was also encouraged by the progress the remaining CAREC countries made in acceding to the Agreement. The CCC also underscored the paramount importance of modernizing risk management through an integrated approach and strengthening partnerships with other government agencies, thereby ensuring the security of the trade.
The CCC also supported ongoing customs-related activities, such as (i) the continued implementation of the CAREC Corridor Performance Measurement and Monitoring (CPMM) mechanism and its role in policy-related decision-making and regional trade and transit analysis, (ii) the progress of member countries in implementing the authorized economic operators (AEO) program, including trade digitalization and risk management, (iii) implementation of the testing phase of the prototype CAREC Advanced Transit System (CATS) and Information Common Exchange (ICE) initiative since October 2023, when Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Uzbekistan signed the Memorandum of Understanding to work on this activity, with Turkmenistan as an observer.
The CCC endorsed the CCC 2024-2025 work plan under the CAREC Integrated Trade Agenda (CITA) 2030 three-year rolling strategic action plan (RSAP) 2024-2026. The CCC further supported cooperation and collaboration with the Korea Customs Service, with a proposed regional workshop and a site visit in South Korea in Q4 2024.
Key Documents
List of Participants (ENG)
Presentations
Session 01 – UNESCAP Framework Agreement on the Facilitation of Cross-Border Paperless Trade (ENG, RUS)
Session 02 – ADB Modernizing Risk Management (ENG, RUS)
Session 03 and 07 – ADB CCC Progress and Workplan 2024-2025 (ENG, RUS)
Session 03 – ADB Corridor Performance Measurement and Monitoring (ENG, RUS)
Session 04 – ADB AEO Program Single Window and CBPT to support Green Initiatives (ENG, RUS)
Session 05 – ADB Development Progress CATS and ICE (ENG, RUS)
Session 06 – AZE Around the Table (ENG, RUS)
Session 06 – KAZ Around the Table (ENG, RUS)
Session 06 – KGZ Around the Table (ENG, RUS)
Session 06 – MON Around the Table (ENG, RUS)
Session 06 – PAK Around the Table (ENG, RUS)
Session 06 – PRC Around the Table (ENG, RUS)
Session 06 – TAJ Around the Table (ENG, RUS)
Session 06 – TKM Around the Table (ENG, RUS)
Session 06 – UZB Around the Table (ENG, RUS)
Session 08 – Activities in Partnership with KCS (ENG, RUS)
This event is supported under KSTA 9824: Better Customs for Better Client Services in Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Countries, co-funded by the Regional Cooperation and Integration Fund, the PRC Poverty Reduction and Regional Cooperation Fund, the United Kingdom Fund for Asia Regional Trade and Connectivity, and the Republic of Korea e-Asia and Knowledge Partnership Fund.