Strong & Herd LLP Blog - Import / Export Services: Inside the World Customs Organisation (WCO) (11) Day Two with ROO

Today I finally passed out – ok jokers, it had nothing to do with the beer last night! The Customs & Trade WCO Knowledge Academy ended today with an awards ceremony. I am pleased to say I got my certificate and I am a proud member of the Class of 2013, The experience is indescribable – though I’ve had a go – the mix of cultures, opinion, politics, the law, fun, regulations in the making, case studies, term of reference, fun, different cultures, fun, learning new things, being reassured that you did know other things … did I mention fun?

Receiving Academy Certificate from Kunio Mikuriya, Secretary General of the World Customs Organization

My last session of the Academy was Rule of preference origin (again) – the law makers and the harmonisation. Couldn’t have been better for me; a bit advanced for some and irrelevant for others, but great speakers and really useful information. Hopefully by this time next year we will have one big EU Free Trade Agreement with a single regulation covering preference with 46 Euro-Med countries. ASEAN are attempting the same. I’m afraid I did do a bit of basic origin training for some of the delegates in the break and lunch time, but you can’t keep an old trainer down – I even got my Japanese and Chinese friends to understand the joke about international trade being the 2^nd oldest profession in the world. I heard them sharing it with the guys from the Congo … oh, dear, what have I started?

We were awarded our Certificates by Kunio Mikuriya, Secretary General of the World Customs Organization and he made a nice (short) speech about collaboration between trade and customs being important to forge a safe international trading future with interaction, communication and understanding. It was an honour to shake his hand. And now most of the delegates are flying home 12-30 hour flights not unusual). I’ve received offer to visit Trinidad & Tobago, Papua New Guinea, Brazil, Stockholm, the DR Congo and Nigeria – just to mention the ones I can remember right now. Who knows?

One thing I do know is that there is nothing wrong with the knowledge and commitment of Customs & Trade in the big “bad” World. I’m glad this career chose me – maybe I can sneak back next year in a speakers’ slot? Greg???? Ready for my close-up Mr Pilkington.