World customs fights paperwork burden - with TIACA blessing

A WORLDWIDE survey of customs paper work is being undertaken by the World Customs Organisation (WCO) with a view to reducing it and transferring as much as possible to electronic data interchange (EDI).

"One global express operator has calculated that two all-cargo 747s would be needed to move all paper demanded of his own company," said a statement from The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA), which heartily welcomes the news.

"The cost is not just funding this unnecessary carbon footprint, but the cost of delays in preparing, presenting and processing paper in an electronic business environment," said TIACA.

The WCO world survey of its member customs organisations hopes to arrive at consensus of what documents are needed and what documents can be "dematerialised" as well as initiate discussions on the end-to-end electronic documents with international trade organisations.

"We work in a world where consignments, managed through automated business technologies are still subject to anachronistic paper checks," said TIACA secretary general Daniel Fernandez.

"French Customs says 45 documents may need with the goods for inspection if demanded by customs or other official agencies. The number will vary, but the volume is substantial," he said.

TIACA has been pressing such measures for years and has made its abolition a major objective, calling on governments and international institutions to cut down on the paper burden and transform as much as possible into electronic message systems.
(Source:www.schednet.com)