The World Customs Organization (WCO) Policy Commission (PC) has unanimously adopted the Luxor Resolution, which outlines the guiding principles for cross-border e-commerce.
The resolution addresses eight critical aspects: Advance Electronic Data and Risk Management; Facilitation and Simplification; Safety and Security; Revenue Collection; Measurement and Analysis; Partnerships; Public Awareness, Outreach and Capacity Building; and Legislative Frameworks.
The resolution is aimed at helping Customs and other government agencies, businesses, and other stakeholders in the cross-border e-commerce supply chain to understand, coordinate and better respond to the current and emerging challenges.
Additionally, and taking into consideration the relevance of the topic and the need to better position the work of the WCO and coordinate ongoing efforts, the PC has also issued a Communiqué to the Eleventh WTO Ministerial Conference (MC11) that will take place in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from 10 to 13 December 2017.
The PC is the Organization’s highest decision-making body and is attended by trade ministers and other senior officials from the WTO’s 164 members.
The Communiqué strongly reaffirms the WCO’s leadership in providing policy and operational frameworks for the effective management of cross-border e-commerce from both a facilitation and a control perspective, and clearly demonstrates its strong commitment to supporting the WTO’s Work Programme on E-Commerce, moving forward.
WCO Secretary General Dr. Kunio Mikuriya, upon the adoption of the Resolution and issuance of the Communiqué to the WTO MC11, welcomed the development as a solid basis for establishing an e-commerce framework of standards and associated operational/implementation plans, with timelines, to support further development of cross-border e-commerce, whilst effectively addressing the challenges stemming therefrom.
“I am delighted with this development and urge Customs administrations and all e-commerce actors to embrace the principles laid down in the Resolution to best leverage the vast opportunities presented by rapidly growing E-Commerce and continue working towards a secure and sustainable E-Commerce environment.” – WCO
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