Background

Introduction

With the signing of the Bali Concord II by the ASEAN Leaders at the 9th ASEAN Summit in Bali, 2003, ASEAN is directed towards the establishment of ASEAN integration and community building.

At the 14thASEAN Summit in Cha-am, Hua Hin Thailand, ASEAN Leaders adopted the Roadmap for ASEAN Community [2009 – 2015], which comprises of the ASEAN Political-Security Community Blueprint, the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint, the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint and the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Work Plan 2 [2009 – 2015].  In this process, the Customs is required to play a key role in the integration process and trade facilitation to achieve and to secure a free flow of goods and factors of production in the region. The Strategic Plan of Customs Development (SPCD) 2016 – 2020 is a key document of ASEAN Customs administration in pursuing customs integration and customs modernisation and reforms.

As decided during the 15th Meeting of the ASEAN Directors-General, in June 2006, the Member of ASEAN Customs Administration decided the restructuring of working committees and groups of ASEAN Customs Integration. The Coordinating Committee on Customs (CCC) to play the role of the Regional Coordinator and three Working Groups, namely; the Customs Procedures and Trade Facilitation Working Group (CPTFWG), the Customs Enforcement and Compliance Working Group (CECWG), and the Customs Capacity Building Working Group (CCBWG) were established to do the tasks on technical works and activities. The ASEAN Secretariat has been requested to synchronise actions and activities of three Working Groups and the CCC, in collaboration with their Chairs and the Chair of the CCC.

Objective

  1. To implement the technical actions and specific programs of the SPCD under its purview at regional and national level as guided by the Broad Direction for Customs Activities (2016-2025).
  2. To support the realisation of activities related to customs techniques and enhancement of institutional arrangements under the purview of the CPTFWG, CECWG and CCC.
  3. To strengthen the cooperation with the CPTFWG, CECWG and CCC and ASEAN bodies and international organisations on trade and customs to promote best practices and to synchronise efforts with the view to improve technical and professional capability of customs personnel.

Work Scope

The CCBWG undertakes the responsibility of implementing activities and actions of the following specific programmes of the SPCD with the respective country coordinators as of the year 2016 – 2025:

SPCD 11 Customs Reform and Modernization [Brunei Darussalam]

SPCD 12 Human Resource Development and Administration [Malaysia]

SPCD 13 Narrowing Development Gap among Customs Administration [Cambodia]

SPCD 14 Knowledge Management [Thailand]
Knowledge-Based Service has been completed by operationalization of KBS website (2016-2020) and will be continued to work on SPCD 14 relate to Knowledge Management (2021-2025)

The CCBWG would update the specific programmes of the SPCD, should there be any changes of new SPCD for the next cycle. The changes would be considered and agreed by all AMS and to be endorsed by the CCC and the ASEAN Customs Directors-General.

The CCBWG develops programmes of capacity building and implements its defined activities using the demand-driven approach in pursuing the following agenda:

  • Enhance customs integrity as well as the quality of customs services to the public.Develop and implement the training needs for ASEAN Member States.
  • Enhance of competency and confidence of customs personnel of ASEAN member administrations.
  • Enhance the technical and managerial capability of customs officers and institutions of Customs Administrations of CLMV.
  • Modernize the legislative frameworks as relevant to the Customs, and
  • Promote and facilitate customs development and integration in ASEAN by Customs Administration of CLMV.

Chairmanship

The CCBWG shall be chaired by a Director Level Officer appointed by the Customs Administration chairing the working group.

 The terms of Chairmanship of the CCBWG shall be decided in every two years by consensus of the ASEAN Member States, through ASEAN Customs Directors-General Meeting.

The Chairman of the CCBWG may represent ASEAN Customs Administrations at regional meetings on economic integration as relevant.

Membership 

  • Members of the CCBWG should be senior officers of ASEAN Customs Administrations and one officer of the ASEAN Secretariat.
  • Members of the CCBWG should be equipped with competency in taking and making decisions in their technical areas as well as to establish recommendations for the achievement of the ASEAN Customs Integration.
  • Members of the CCBWG, appointed by their Customs Administrations, would be responsible for the implementation of defined work programs at the national level.