22nd Meeting of the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Customs Cooperation Committee (CCC)
At the 22nd CAREC Customs Cooperation Committee (CCC) Meeting in Tbilisi, Georgia held on 9-10 June, customs officials reaffirmed their commitment to promote customs digitalization and green customs initiatives.
World Customs Organization Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya delivered a keynote address on establishing a culture of learning and a knowledge-management and knowledge-sharing system. In his welcome remarks, Deputy Director General Vladimer Khundadze of Georgia Revenue Service of Ministry of Finance highlighted that the CCC should discuss practical issues, such as real-time exchange of electronic information, mutual recognition of authorized economic operators, and an electronic transit system. Director of Public Management, Financial Sector, and Regional Cooperation Division of East Asia Department of ADB, Emma Fan, and Head of International Customs Department, Samson Uridia, co-chaired the meetings.
The CCC was also updated of ongoing progress of trade facilitation-related projects on corridor performance measurement and monitoring, transit, and authorized economic operators. The CCC also considered proposals to enhance capacity of customs in implementing green trade policies, agreed on the CCC workplan for 2023 to 2024, and discussed planned regional and sub-regional studies and capacity building activities under CCC priority areas.
As a side event, the Georgia Revenue Service also organized a site visit to the Tbilisi Clearance Zone to discuss their procedures on commodity inspection and clearance of goods at the facility.
Key Documents
Joint Statement (English, Russian)
Keynote Address
Presentations: Day 1
Session 1a CAREC Corridor Performance Measurement and Monitoring 2022 (English, Russian)
Session 1b CAREC Study on Transit Trade Facilitation in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan (English, Russian)
Session 1c Updates on CAREC Advanced Transit System and Information Common Exchange (English, Russian)
Session 2: Green Customs (English, Russian)
Session 3: Country Presentation: People’s Republic of China (English, Russian)
Session 3: Country Presentation: Kazakhstan (English, Russian)
Session 3: Country Presentation: Kyrgyz Republic (English, Russian)
Session 3: Country Presentation: Mongolia (English, Russian)
Session 3: Country Presentation: Pakistan (English, Russian)
Session 3: Country Presentation: Turkmenistan (English, Russian)
Session 4: CCC Progress and Workplan 2023-2024 (English, Russian)
Session 4: ADB Study to Enhance AEO Program in Central Asia (English, Russian)
Presentations: Day 2
Session 5: Presentation by UNESCAP (English, Russian)
Session 5: Presentation by UNECE (English)
Session 5: Presentation by USAID (English, Russian)
This event is supported under KSTA 9824: Better Customs for Better Client Services in Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Countries, co-funded by the Regional Cooperation and Integration Fund; the PRC Poverty Reduction and Regional Cooperation Fund; United Kingdom Fund for Asia Regional Trade and Connectivity, and Republic of Korea e-Asia and Knowledge Partnership Fund.