WCO to address security concerns

News was prepared under the information support of Online Daily Newspaper on Hellenic and international Shipping "Hellenic Shipping News".

25 Dec 2007

The European Shippers' Council (ESC) is happy that the World Customs Organisation (WCO) has finally recognised the need to reform the existing security practices and address shippers' concerns. ESC was worried that the importer or its agent was being held responsible for submitting electronically an advance declaration on import goods to Customs. WCO now recognises that the importer is not always the best person to provide the kind of information the Customs authorities insist on; perhaps the shipping line concerned is. While ESC encourages national governments to support mutual recognition of various security programmes, it also feels the US requirement of 100 per cent scanning of cargo yields little in security terms even as it pushes up the costs to users, shippers and ultimately to consumers.