Source: WCO

The heads of the World Customs Organization (WCO), the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail (OTIF) and the Organisation for Co-operation between Railways (OSJD) issued a joint statement on 15 May 2020 agreeing to coordinated efforts for the continued facilitation of railway supply chains and to mitigate the overall impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our societies.

Source: WCO

In the response to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, a number of WCO Members designated priority lanes and introduced facilitative measures with regard to the cross-border movement of essential goods. However, there is no internationally recognized definition of essential goods to support those WCO Members that are yet to consider providing priority treatment and facilitative measures to such goods.

Source: WCO

The heads of the World Customs Organization (WCO) and the International Road Transport Union (IRU) Secretariats issued a joint statement on 11 May 2020 and jointly called on Customs administrations worldwide to ensure coordinated cross-border interventions in cooperation with other national border agencies and implement international standards such as the TIR Convention, as appropriate, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and agreed to coordinate efforts.

Source: WCO

IFCBA members around the world have contact with air carriers and air cargo every day.  The airline industry has been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, and is doing all it can to support economic recovery.  We thought you might enjoy this short and hopeful video from our friends at IATA.

Source: Outlook

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) on Tuesday extended the facility given to businesses to import and export goods without furnishing bonds to the Customs authorities till May 15 in view of the extension of the lockdown period till May 3.

Earlier this month, the CBIC had extended similar relaxation till April 30. However, with subsequent extension of lockdown, it was felt that the relaxation needed to be longer to facilitate trade.

Source: WCO

Source: WCO

On 15 April 2020, the World Customs Organization (WCO) and the Universal Postal Union (UPU) sent a joint letter to inform their respective Members of the actions taken by the WCO and the UPU in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, emphasizing that coordination between Customs administrations and designated postal operators (DOs) is critical to the continued facilitation of the global postal supply chain, and to mitigating the outbreak’s overall impact on our societies.

The World Customs Organization’s Private Sector Consultative Group presented a paper to the WCO Secretary General with recommendations for responses to the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  IFCBA representatives Jaime King, who is the PSCG’s current Vice-Chair and Carol West, a Past Chair of the PSCG, played a key role in writing the paper, incorporating the views of their fellow members representing associations and companies from around

Source: WCO

In late 2019, the first outbreak of what has now become known globally as the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) was reported. On 11 March 2020, the COVID-19 outbreak was categorized by the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) as a pandemic.

The spread of the COVID-19 has placed the entire world in an unprecedented situation. To slow the spread of the disease and mitigate its impacts, travel is being curtailed and borders are being closed. Transport hubs are being affected. Ports are being closed and ships denied entry.