Common use of Customs Co-operation Clause in Contracts

Customs Co-operation. 1. The Parties shall enhance their co-operation in customs and customs-related matters. 2. The Parties undertake to develop trade facilitation actions in customs matters taking account of the work done in this connection by international organisations. This may include testing of new customs procedures. 3. The Parties affirm their commitment to the facilitation of the legitimate movement of goods and shall exchange expertise on measures to improve customs techniques and procedures and on computerised systems in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. 4. The Parties shall commit to: (a) pursuing the harmonisation of documentation and data elements used in trade according to international standards for the purpose of facilitating the flow of trade between them in customs-related matters regarding the importation, exportation and transit of goods; (b) intensifying co-operation between their customs laboratories and scientific departments and to working towards the harmonisation of customs laboratories methods; (c) exchanging customs’ personnel; (d) jointly organising training programmes on customs-related issues, for the officials who participate directly in customs procedures; (e) developing effective mechanisms for communicating with the trade and business communities; (f) assisting to the extent practicable each other in the tariff classification, valuation and determination of origin for preferential tariff treatment of imported goods; (g) promoting strong and efficient intellectual property rights enforcement by customs authorities, regarding imports, exports, re-exports, transit, transhipments and other customs procedures, and in particular as regards counterfeit goods; and (h) improving the security, while facilitating trade, of sea-container and other shipments from all locations that are imported into, transhipped through, or transiting the Parties. The Parties agree that the objectives of the intensified and broadened co-operation include, but are not limited to: (i) working together to reinforce the customs related aspects for securing the logistics chain of international trade; and (ii) co-ordinating positions, to the greatest extent practicable, in any multilateral fora where issues related to container security may be appropriately raised and discussed. 5. The Parties recognise that technical co-operation between them is fundamental to facilitating compliance with the obligations set forth in this Agreement and to achieving high levels of trade facilitation. The Parties, through their customs administrations, agree to develop a technical co-operation programme under mutually agreed terms as to the scope, timing and cost of co-operative measures in customs and customs-related areas. 6. Through the Parties’ respective customs administrations and other border-related authorities, the Parties shall review relevant international initiatives on trade facilitation, including, inter alia, relevant work in the WTO and WCO, to identify areas where further joint action would facilitate trade between the Parties and promote shared multilateral objectives. The Parties shall work together to establish, wherever possible, common positions in international organisations in the field of customs and trade facilitation, notably in the WTO and WCO. 7. The Parties shall assist each other in implementation and enforcement of this Chapter, the Protocol concerning the Definition of ‘Originating Products’ and Methods of Administrative Co-operation and their respective customs laws or regulations.

Customs Co-operation. 1. The Parties shall enhance their co-operation in customs and customs-related matters. 2. The Parties undertake to develop trade facilitation actions in customs matters taking account of the work done in this connection by international organisations. This may include testing of new customs procedures. 3. The Parties affirm their commitment to the facilitation of the legitimate movement of goods and shall exchange expertise on measures to improve customs techniques and procedures and on computerised systems in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. 4. The Parties shall commit to: (a) pursuing the harmonisation of documentation and data elements used in trade according to international standards for the purpose of facilitating the flow of trade between them in customs-related matters regarding the importation, exportation and transit of goods; (b) intensifying co-operation between their customs laboratories and scientific departments and to working towards the harmonisation of customs laboratories methods; (c) exchanging customs’ ' personnel; (d) jointly organising training programmes on customs-related issues, for the officials who participate directly in customs procedures; (e) developing effective mechanisms for communicating with the trade and business communities; (f) assisting to the extent practicable each other in the tariff classification, valuation and determination of origin for preferential tariff treatment of imported goods; (g) promoting strong and efficient intellectual property rights enforcement by customs authorities, regarding imports, exports, re-exports, transit, transhipments and other customs procedures, and in particular as regards counterfeit goods; and (h) improving the security, while facilitating trade, of sea-container and other shipments from all locations that are imported into, transhipped through, or transiting the Parties. The Parties agree that the objectives of the intensified and broadened co-operation include, but are not limited to: (i) working together to reinforce the customs related aspects for securing the logistics chain of international trade; and (ii) co-ordinating positions, to the greatest extent practicable, in any multilateral fora where issues related to container security may be appropriately raised and discussed. 5. The Parties recognise that technical co-operation between them is fundamental to facilitating compliance with the obligations set forth in this Agreement and to achieving high levels of trade facilitation. The Parties, through their customs administrations, agree to develop a technical co-operation programme under mutually agreed terms as to the scope, timing and cost of co-operative measures in customs and customs-related areas. 6. Through the Parties’ ' respective customs administrations and other border-related authorities, the Parties shall review relevant international initiatives on trade facilitation, including, inter alia, relevant work in the WTO and WCO, to identify areas where further joint action would facilitate trade between the Parties and promote shared multilateral objectives. The Parties shall work together to establish, wherever possible, common positions in international organisations in the field of customs and trade facilitation, notably in the WTO and WCO. 7. The Parties shall assist each other in implementation and enforcement of this Chapter, the Protocol concerning the Definition of ‘Originating Products’ ' and Methods of Administrative Co-operation and their respective customs laws or regulations.