ICC Commission on Customs and Trade Facilitation

Promotes simplified customs policies and procedures as well as other measures to facilitate international trade.

With over 250+ members from 50 countries, the commission provides for a global forum including customs policy, transport and logistics specialists .

ABOUT THE COMMISSION

  • Support the ratification and implementation of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement—feeding into the work of the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation of which ICC is a host organisation.
  • Provide input into the work of the WTO and the World Customs Organization (WCO) on customs valuation, classification, trade facilitation and rules of origin.
  • Further develop ICC recommendations on enabling customs and trade facilitation frameworks for e-commerce and feed business insights into the work of the WCO Working Group on E-Commerce.
  • Finalise an ICC policy statement on rules of origin in preferential trade agreements together with the ICC Commission on Trade and Investment Policy.
    Complete an ICC policy statement on customs handling of re-usable transport packaging similar to shipping containers.
  • Promote the ICC recommendations on Authorised Economic Operators (AEOs) and work on further guidance on mutual recognition of AEOs, centered around the core principle of «one application for multiple use», similar to a passport.
  • Develop an ICC policy statement on customs treatment of humanitarian relief shipments in humanitarian emergencies.
    Prepare, together with the ICC Commission on Taxation, a policy statement on VAT/GST in the context of customs valuation and transfer pricing, building on the 2015 ICC policy statement on customs valuation and transfer pricing.
  • Provide guidance for traders on the incorporation of the transfer of risk during transport in contracts of carriage, in cooperation with the ICC Commission on Commercial Law and Practice.
  • Make ICC recommendations on supply chain connectivity in the context of the digitalisation of transport and logistical processes.
  • Develop a position on the use of bonds as a means to facilitate the separation of release of goods and payment of customs duties.

The liberalization of world trade and investment has drawn attention to practical obstacles to the free flow of goods, services and investment across borders – in particular those related to customs policies and procedures, and transport markets.

The central objective of the Commission on Customs and Trade Facilitation is to overcome these barriers, to ensure that the liberalization of global trade and investment has a positive impact at the level of the individual international trade transaction and in the business of transport and logistics.

The commission’s work focuses on customs reform and modernization, the implementation of transparent, simplified, harmonized customs policies and procedures and to promote competitive and efficient transport markets worldwide.

The Commission on Customs and Trade Facilitation works closely with various organizations in order to tackle different issues related to customs procedures harmonization and trade facilitation.

Jean Baeten, VBO-FEB
Christophe Coulie, FEDERATION OF BELGIAN CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE IN BELGIUM
Charles De Jager, CROWELL & MORING – BRUSSELS
Lorenzo Di Masi, CROWELL & MORING – BRUSSELS
Bert Gevers, LOYENS & LOEFF
Pieter Haesaert, CUSTOMS 4 TRADE
Ilaria  Mancino, CUSTOMS 4 TRADE
Yves Melin, MCGUIREWOODS
Eric Ponthieu, ECONOMIC & SOCIAL COMMITTEE OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY
Jan Robbroeckx, UMICORE
Anne Vallery, WILMER CUTLER PICKERING HALE AND DORR
Katrien Van Loocke, AGENTSCHAP BUITENLANDSE HANDEL
Lionel Van Reet, PwC
Paulette Vander Schueren, MAYER BROWN EUROPE BRUSSELS LLP