A delegation from the Arab Union of Customs Executives participated in the regional workshop on pre-clearance and release time for the member countries of the Agadir Agreement. The workshop was organized by the Technical Unit of the Agadir Agreement in cooperation with the World Customs Organization, and attended by senior officials from the customs administrations of the Agadir countries (Egypt – Tunisia – Jordan – Morocco), along with representatives from the Arab League’s Department of Arab Economic Integration. It was held in the Arab Republic of Egypt from November 11–12, 2019.
This workshop came within the framework of the Technical Unit’s 2019 work plan. The topics of pre-clearance and release time are among the most important for traders, investors, and customs stakeholders. The process involves submitting shipment documents before the arrival of goods, enabling customs, port operators, and warehouse managers to plan and operate more efficiently, which reduces cargo release times and, in turn, the cost of goods.
The workshop aimed to highlight the role of customs in implementing the international concept of pre-clearance, to explore the Agadir countries’ experiences in pre-clearance and release time, and to review international best practices. It also focused on overcoming challenges facing member states and identifying areas for improvement in implementing pre-clearance procedures.
The workshop was opened by Dr. Mohamed Tolba, Director of Trade Relations at the Technical Unit of the Agadir Agreement. He emphasized that customs cooperation among Agadir member countries is an area in which the unit has achieved many successes, thanks to the support of customs directors in these countries. He noted the importance of pre-clearance in facilitating trade and simplifying procedures for economic operators, thereby reducing costs, time, and effort in releasing goods.
In his speech, Mr. Sayed Kamal Negm – Head of the Egyptian Customs Authority and First Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance – presented Egypt’s experience in this area. He detailed numerous initiatives taken to reduce release times and promote pre-clearance, including signing several cooperation protocols and establishing joint committees with relevant Egyptian agencies, such as the Food Safety Authority and the General Organization for Export and Import Control. These initiatives aim to facilitate trade, reduce release times, and lower market prices.
He also noted Egypt’s efforts to expand the use of the green lane for companies under the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) program and mentioned the development of systems and procedures that positively impact World Bank report indicators.
Mr. Negm reaffirmed the Egyptian Customs Authority’s commitment to enhancing customs cooperation within the Agadir framework and expressed hope for more achievements by the Agadir countries’ customs administrations.
The workshop, moderated by Mr. Olmia Silva – Technical Expert from the World Customs Organization, and Dr. Omar Salman – Expert in Customs and International Trade Facilitation, covered the importance of pre-clearance from a regional perspective, the WCO SAFE Framework of Standards for reducing release time, and the regional standard for pre-clearance and release time. It also presented leading international experiences and best practices in pre-clearance and release time (e.g., the United States, Canada, Japan, and Nigeria).
The workshop concluded with a discussion session among representatives from the customs administrations of the Agadir member countries on potential areas of development in pre-clearance procedures and the challenges faced in implementing this system at the regional level
