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WCO outlines guiding principles on cross-border e-commerce


The International Customs Community has adopted the Luxor Resolution on cross-border e-commerce and issued a communiqué to the WTO MC11


The WCO Policy Commission (PC) has seized the momentum in the domain of electronic commerce, unanimously adopting the Luxor Resolution at its meeting in December 2017 in the Egyptian city that gives its name to the resolution. The resolution, developed in close


collaboration with all stakeholders, outlines the guiding principles for cross-border e-commerce, addressing eight critical aspects, notably advance electronic data and risk management; facilitation and simplification; safety and security; revenue collection; measurement and analysis; partnerships; public awareness, outreach and capacity building; and legislative frameworks. The resolution is aimed at helping Customs


and other government agencies, businesses and other stakeholders in the cross-border e- commerce supply chain to understand, coordinate and better respond to the current and


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emerging challenges. Additionally, and taking into consideration the


relevance of the topic and the need to better position the work of the WCO and coordinate ongoing efforts, the PC has issued a communiqué to the Eleventh WTO Ministerial Conference (MC11), the organisation’s highest decision- making body, attended by trade ministers and other senior officials from the WTO’s 164 members, which took place in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from 10-13 December 2017.


WCO leadership The communiqué strongly reaffirms the WCO’s leadership in providing policy and operational frameworks for the effective management of cross-border e-commerce from both a facilitation and a control perspective, and clearly demonstrates its strong commitment to supporting the WTO’s Work Programme


on E-Commerce. Dr Kunio Mikuriya, WCO Secretary General,


upon the adoption of the resolution and issuance of the communiqué to the WTO MC11, welcomed this development as a solid basis for establishing an e-commerce framework of standards and associated operational/ implementation plans, with timelines, to support further development of cross-border e-commerce, whilst effectively addressing the challenges stemming therefrom.


Take-up urged Dr Mikuriya added: “I am delighted with this development and urge customs administrations and all e-commerce actors to embrace the principles laid down in the resolution to best leverage the vast opportunities presented by rapidly growing e-commerce and continue working towards a secure and sustainable e-commerce environment.” The resolution can be seen at:


www.wcoomd.org/-/media/wco public/global/pdf/about-us/legal- instruments/resolutions/policy-commission-resol ution-on-cross_border- ecommerce_en.pdf?db=web


February 2018


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