Mutual recognition of the AEO provides businesses not only with customs clearance comfort, but also with the opportunity to fully review their current import and export activities, resolve potential issues and reduce customs risks in terms of customs compliance, clearance speed and trade security. The ultimate objective should be the development of a multilateral mutual recognition agreement (MRA) in order to avoid the creation of new barriers to trade. However, bilateral MMRs will remain a reality for some time. In order to maximize the usefulness of such an MRA, the WCO MRA guidelines have been developed to support the development and implementation of such a program. The AEO`s approach, one of Customs` key mechanisms for legitimate trade and supply chain security, has spread throughout the Americas region and has been strengthened by Customs efforts. During the first phase of the development of AEO programmes, countries in the region have made bilateral progress in mutual recognition of their certified operators, and they are now facing the challenge of adapting to the new modalities for negotiating MRIs. The ICC has developed a mutual recognition recommendation listing the main features of each MRA in order to develop trade benefits: in June 2018, the directors of thirteen customs administrations in the region in Brussels, Belgium, signed a memorandum of understanding to formalize their willingness to be part of this project of mutual recognition of AEO programs between customs authorities in the region. The private sector lists mutual recognition as the main concrete trade facilitation measure, as it hopes and believes that mutual recognition will avoid the costs of revalidation and inspection if two or more countries have agreed to recognize each other. Second, when a domestic importer/exporter declares his imported goods to customs, he must enter his AEO/AEO code of his counterpart in the «note» column of the declaration form from a country/region that has established mutual recognition with China; Mutual recognition of the AEO concerns the mechanisms developed by Customs administrations for the mutual recognition of AEO validations and authorisations, as well as the results of customs control and other mechanisms that may be necessary to eliminate or reduce redundant or duplicate validation and authorisation efforts. At the same time took place the first working meeting for the regional project MRA AEO among the directors of 9 customs authorities in Sao Paulo, Brazil: Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Guatemala, Paraguay, Peru, Dominican Republic and Uruguay.
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