Sunday, July 16, 2023 – 5:09 PM
Brussels, July 16, WAM / The UAE and the Republic of India signed an agreement on mutual recognition of the approved economic operator program, with the aim of enhancing trade exchange and customs cooperation between the two countries through effective and rapid implementation of the requirements of the approved economic operator program, and supporting the comprehensive economic partnership agreement between the two countries that entered into force. in May 2022.
His Excellency Ali Muhammad Al Shamsi, Chairman of the Federal Authority for Identity, Nationality, Customs and Ports Security, said that the agreement is scheduled to enter into official force in the fourth quarter of 2023 after the end of work in the pilot phase, as the approved economic operator program provides a package of benefits and facilities agreed upon for the commercial establishment that adheres to the standards. The security stipulated in the approved economic operator program applied in the country within the framework of standards for security and facilitation of the supply chain in international trade “Saif”.
His Excellency pointed out that the Republic of India is a strategic trading partner for the UAE, as India ranks second in the list of trading partners of the UAE, and the general volume of non-oil foreign trade between the two countries is witnessing a growing increase, pointing to the existence of multiple opportunities for economic and trade gains that push the two countries towards strengthening customs cooperation. .
The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the annual meetings of the World Customs Organization, which was held in the Belgian capital, Brussels, at the end of last June. Ahmed Abdullah bin Lahej Al Falasi, Director General of Customs at the Federal Authority for Identity, Nationality, Customs and Ports Security, and head of the participating delegation of the UAE Customs signed it on behalf of the UAE. In the presence of His Excellency Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director General of Dubai Customs, His Excellency Mohammed Mir Abdul Rahman Al Sarrah, Director of Ports and Customs in Sharjah, and Saud Salem Al Aqroubi, Director of the International Customs Relations Department at the General Administration of Customs at the Authority.
His Excellency Ali Mohammed Al Shamsi added that the agreement on mutual recognition of the approved economic operator program with the Republic of India means that the two countries will recognize the standards of the program and exchange lists of approved operators with these operators receiving the benefits agreed upon in mutual recognition while practicing customs procedures, pointing out that this agreement contributes to strengthening customs cooperation. Trade, exchanging experiences, advantages, facilities and customs information between the two countries, defining joint procedures and mechanisms for exchanging information on mutual recognition, identifying the list of approved operators between the two countries, and measuring the revenues resulting from the application of mutual recognition.
His Excellency Ahmed Abdullah bin Lahej Al Falasi, Director General of Customs at the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security, said: “As part of our continuous efforts to realize the full potential of the Authorized Economic Operator Program, cooperation has taken place to develop the Gulf Cooperation Council Authorized Economic Operator Program (GCC AEO). Signing mutual recognition agreements for the approved economic operator program with South Korea, the People’s Republic of China and Indonesia, thus India becomes the ninth country with which mutual recognition is applied and agreed facilities are provided to companies approved within the program.
He stressed that with the signing of the mutual recognition agreement with India, the proportion of the volume of trade exchange covered by the mutual recognition agreements of the approved economic operator program will rise to 37.87% of the total volume of trade exchange for the UAE in 2022.
The agreement of mutual recognition of the approved economic operator program provides many advantages to accredited companies in the two countries, the most important of which is the simplified verification of documents related to import, facilitating the process of clearing imported goods, and appointing liaison officers from customs officials to deal with issues related to the clearance of goods for approved economic operators. The number of companies affiliated with the program in the UAE is 113 accredited companies.
Ahmed Al-Boutli / Reem Al-Hajry
2023-07-16 13:10:50
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