The APEC Sub-Committee on Customs Procedures (SCCP), which reports to the Committee on Trade and Investment (CTI), was established in 1994 as a forum to fulfil the commitments of APEC Leaders and Ministers relating to customs matters. The SCCP’s goals are focused on trade facilitation, trade security and related enforcement matters, taking into account the responsibility of each customs administration for the effective implementation of legitimate border measures. The goals, structure and administration of the SCCP are laid out in its terms of reference.

The sub-committee has adopted “facilitation, accountability, consistency, transparency and simplification” as its basic guiding principles.

The SCCP will identify and pursue:

• Actions for regional enhancement of harmonized and simplified customs procedures
• Actions on enforcement matters related to trade facilitation
• Joint actions and linkages with other government agencies and business/private sector organizations related to trade facilitation
• Actions which contribute to the common development of customs human resources
• Actions which foster an IT-friendly environment in customs procedures including paperless trading initiatives such as single window within individual economies
• Actions which promote the security of the global supply chain and promote trade facilitation

The SCCP also addresses customs chokepoints or bottlenecks as listed in the APEC Supply Chain Connectivity Framework Action Plan Phase II (SCFAP II 2017-2022), and in alignment with the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) and the Boracay Action Agenda to Globalize MSMEs in the Asia Pacific Region.  

These are examples of initiatives and outcomes the SCCP has carried over the past 20 years:

• Single Window Strategic Plan (2007)
• Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Enforcement Strategies (2006)
• APEC Guidelines for Customs Border Enforcement, Counterfeiting and Piracy endorsed to strengthen IPR enforcement at borders
• Action Plan on the Development of Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Programs
• AEO Compendium (2010) for all APEC Economies to help members establish AEO programs and mutual recognition

The SCCP’s efforts over the past two decades have contributed greatly to the two-time 5 percent reductions of APEC trade transaction costs and have played a fundamental role in the 10 percent improvement in supply chain performance among APEC economies in 2015.

These efforts will contribute to contribute in the development of a fair, transparent and dynamic economic and trading environment in the Asia-Pacific region.

The SCCP has three guests (with 3-year terms) that participate at its official meetings:

• Colombia
• World Customs Organization (WCO)
• Oceania Customs Organization (OCO)

The SCCP holds two annual plenary meetings on the margins of the first and third Senior Officials’ Meetings (SOM1 and SOM3).

This year, the SCCP1 Plenary Meeting will be held virtually on 26 and 27 of February and on 2 March 2021 and it will be chaired by New Zealand.

These are the group’s latest events and/or initiatives:

• Workshop on “Integrating SMEs and E-Commerce in AEO Supply Chains Workshop” (Virtual – 15th October 2020)

Key Deliverables

• Updated APEC Customs Transit Guidelines
• Customs Strategic Framework on Building Connectivity: 3M plus 3S Initiative
• APEC SCCP Compendium for Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Enforcement

Upcoming Events 2021

• APEC Customs Business Dialogue 2021 on Digital Trade (August/SOM3)

Relevant Documents:

• “Manual of Best Practices” based on the results of the AEO Benefits Survey in Pillar 3 WCO Safe Framework of Standards – APEC Publication, December 2020 (SCCP 01 2019A Project)

• “Customs Time Release Comparison Study: Case Study of AEO MRAs between APEC member economies” – APEC Publication, December 2020 (SCCP 01 2019A Project)

• APEC Policy Support Unit (PSU) Policy Briefs on
• “Managing Risks in Global Value Chains: Strengthening Resilience in the APEC Region” (2020)
• “Customs to Customs Cooperation in APEC: strengthening Regional Cooperation” (2019),
• “Trade Facilitation in APEC: Progress and Impact” (2019)
• “AEO in APEC Economies: Opportunities to expand Mutual Recognition Agreements and the Inclusion of SMEs” – Study Report 2019 (prepared in the context of the APEC Project SCCP 01 2019A)
• APEC PSU study on “Single Window Systems' International Interoperability: Key Issues for Its Implementation” (August 2018)
• APEC PSU study of “APEC Best Practices in Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Programs” (May 2016)