On June 22-24, 2023, the 141st/142nd Sessions of the Customs Cooperation Council, the highest decision-making body of the Organization, were held at WCO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. Director General of Customs of 185 countries-members of the World Customs Organization took part in the sessions of the Council. The delegation of Kazakhstan was headed by the Chairman of the State Revenue Committee of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Kazakhstan

      Mr. Daniyar Zhanalinov.

       Under the guidance of Mr. A. Al Khalifa, Director General of Bahrain Customs and outgoing Chairperson of the WCO Council, the 2023 Council Sessions reviewed the work carried out by the WCO throughout the year. The discussions covered international standards, guidance documents and recommended practices developed by the different WCO working bodies with a view to enhancing the management of cross-border trade.

      The Council focused its deliberations on various areas of Customs work, including Capacity Building, Rules of Origin, Valuation, Nomenclature and Classification, Compliance, and Trade Facilitation, as well as on budgetary and financial matters.

     The Council took note of the progress made in implementing the Strategic Plan 2022-2025, particularly in the key focus areas of Technology and Innovation, Green Customs and Governance and Accountability.

      Recognizing the urgent need for Customs to address environmental concerns, the Council endorsed the Green Customs Action Plan. Additionally, the Council adopted three Harmonized System (HS) recommendations aimed at improving the monitoring of the movement of waste oils, certain substances controlled under the Rotterdam Convention, and substances controlled under the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction.

     Delegates expressed their support for the newly developed WCO Action Plan on Fragile Borders and Conflict-Affected Situations, emphasizing the importance of Customs adapting to such contexts.

     In the area of Governance and Accountability, the Council took note of the progress made in developing a WCO Modernization Plan and endorsed the WCO Secretariat Equality and Diversity Work Plan.

     The Council endorsed the Implementation Plan 2023-2024, along with the activities planned for the next financial year, and supported the budgetary recommendations of the Finance Committee. These decisions enable the Secretariat to continue its work in supporting its Members.

     During the sessions, the members of the World Customs Organization elected Mr. Ian Saunders of the United States of America as the new Secretary General of the WCO for a five-year term effective 1 January 2024. Mr. Edward Kieswetter, Commissioner of the South African Revenue Service, was elected as a Chairperson of the WCO Council. Furthermore, new regional Vice-Chairs were appointed. The Kingdom of Norway has become the Vice-Chair of the WCO European Region, which includes Kazakhstan as a member.

     An important achievement for Kazakhstan was the decision of the Council to elect Kazakhstan as a member of the Policy Commission of the World Customs Organization. The election as a member of the WCO Policy Commission confirms that Kazakhstan is an important member of the international customs community, as well as its active participation in the development and promotion of the customs industry.

      Accession of Kazakhstan to the WCO Policy Commission will allow the country to actively participate in the development and formation of political decisions related to customs issues. Kazakhstan will have the opportunity to express its interests and take part in making strategic decisions aimed at ensuring more efficient and harmonized international customs cooperation.