The IFCBA would like to wish you a happy International Customs Day!

The Secretary General of the World Customs Organization, Mr. Kunio Mikuriya, heralds 2016 as the Year of Digital Customs. At this year’s IFCBA World Conference being held in May, the impact of new technologies on trade practices will be an important topic for your businesses. Join us for this unique opportunity to advance your customs knowledge!

The IFCBA is proud to represent such an innovative group of organizations, companies and individuals.

The 2016 IFCBA World Conference, Facilitating Trade Through the Customs-Business Connection, will take place from May 17-21 at the WH Ming Hotel in Shanghai, China. Please click here to view conference details and to complete your registration.

Government of India notified Draft Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Amendment Regulations, 2015 and Draft Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition & Restriction on Sale) Amendment Regulation, 2015 to the World Trade Organization (WTO). The deadline for comments for WTO Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) committee members is January 31, 2016; in addition, the deadline for comments for WTO Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) committee members is March 4, 2016.

KINGSTON, Jamaican (CMC) – Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Ambassador Roberto Azevêdo, is scheduled to arrive here on Sunday for an official visit at the invitation of the government of Jamaica.

Azevêdo’s visit is part of an initiative to visit several Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries, particularly those countries which have been active participants in the overall work programme of the WTO.

China and South Korea are deepening their trade relations. According to the Korea International Trade Association, South Korea traded U.S.$75.6 billion in goods with China in the last quarter of 2015.

The figure surpassed Japan’s U.S.$71.7 billion, making South Korea China’s second largest trade partner in the world. Because of the China-South Korea Free Trade Agreement that went into effect in December, the trade volume between the two countries is expected to continue increasing in the future.

The World Customs Organization (WCO) and the WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at reducing the amount of illegal wildlife products moving across international borders. The MoU was signed by Dr. Cristián Samper, WCS President and CEO, and Kunio Mikuriya, Secretary General of the WCO.

Complementary amendments to the HS Nomenclature 2017 Edition have been accepted as a result of the Council Recommendation of 11 June 2015.

After the acceptance of the HS 2017 amendments as a result of the Council Recommendation of 27 June 2014, the HS Contracting Parties highlighted the need to make certain further corrections and amendments, to accommodate :...

Classification and origin determination of goods are closely interlinked. It is therefore critically important to update Rules of Origin (i.e. Product Specific Rules) to ensure consistency between HS classification and origin determination. This would help to prevent misapplication of Rules of Origin, ensure efficient and effective revenue collection and facilitate trade.