ASEAN WORKING TOWARDS HARMONISING CUSTOMS PROCEDURES

SHAH ALAM (Malaysia), June 10 (Bernama) -- Asean customs officials are
making a move towards harmonising customs processes and procedures in order to
create favourable conditions for trade exchanges within the region.

Deputy secretary-general of the Asean economic community, S. Pushpanathan,
said the customs officials were looking at ways how to promote and facilitate
free flow of goods within the region, such as enhancing transport connectivity
and eliminating non-tariff barriers.

"We see the Asean secretariat in customs as a frontline in terms of building
a single market and production base expecially to promote and facilitate the
free movement of goods within the region," he said.

"As such, we are looking at a more harmonised rules and regulations, not
moving towards customs union," he told reporters after attending the opening of
18th meeting of the Asean Directors-General of Customs here Tuesday.

The three-day meeting which started today was opened by Second Finance
Minister Ahmad Husni Mohamad Hanadzlah.

According to Pushpanathan, a great challenge awaits Asean customs now on how
to bridge the gap to harmonise customs processes and procedures in member
countries which have different level of development.

"The great challenge will be what kind of strategy to adopt, given the
different level of development in Asean member countries," he said, adding that
more than 90 percent of Asean tariff lines are between zero to five percent.

Pushpanathan also urged Asean customs to look into ways in briding the gap
between member countries which have different level of capacity building in
terms of customs administration.

"The key issue here will be how already developed customs administration can
help the less developed to further enhance the capacity of the administration,"
he said, adding that Asean customs should also look at ways to cut down business
transaction cost in order to stay competitive.

Ahmad Husni, in his opening speech, said it was important for Asean customs
authorities to play their role in trade facilitation to ensure the establishment
of Asean Economic Community (AEC) by 2015.

"As we all are aware, AEC 2015 is the end-goal of realising the economic
integration measures as outlined in the Asean Vision 2020. Its goal is to create
a stable, prosperous and highly competitive Asean economic region in which there
is a free flow of goods, services, investment and capital," he said.
-- BERNAMA