The Director, Tariff and Trade Affairs Directorate, World Customs Organisation (WCO), Ping Liu has said that there is need for Customs authorities globally to ensure correct identification of goods through chemical laboratories.
Liu, who stated this at the WCO Regional Customs Laboratory Professionals Programme held at WCO Headquarters in Brussels, noted that besides the traditional role of analysing goods for the determination of tariff classification, Customs laboratories are playing an ever increasing role in the protection of environment and society.
He said the use of Customs laboratories is enabling better control of the trade in ozone depleting substances, pesticides, chemical weapons, narcotics and drug precursors, as well as enhancing consumer protection.
Liu highlighted the most recent WCO work regarding regional networking and cooperation on Customs laboratories in sharing good practices for improving the accuracy and effectiveness of Customs laboratory analysis work.
The programme, launched in 2013 as the WCO/Japan Regional Customs Laboratories Programme, provides an opportunity for Customs chemists to expand and update their knowledge and skill in the chemical analysis of samples with a view to supporting the establishment and modernization of Customs laboratories.
The programme is organized under the sponsorship of Japan (CCF/Japan) and Korea (CCF/Korea). Seven experienced Customs chemists and classification officers from Azerbaijan, Jordan, Mauritius, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand and Uzbekistan took part in the programme.