customs

Perspective on Risk Management Systems for Customs Administrations

Read what CEO and Founder Chris Thibedeau has to say about data, analytics and frameworks that are crucial for the strategic, operational, and tactical decision-making by officers at the border.

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“As a vendor who designs and deploys border processing systems, we have seen many Customs and border administrations make significant investments towards optimizing and modernizing their border processing capabilities and methodologies in an effort to meet the demands of today’s fast-paced international trade environment.”

“Some administrations build, for example, Single Window environments with automated control mechanisms for licences, permits, certificates and other documentation (LPCO) required by other government agencies (OGAs). But while this can help reduce release times and promote trade facilitation, the other key variable involves the introduction of an effective risk management regime.”

SELECTIVITY IS KEY

“The landscape of risk management technology solutions for Customs administrations varies widely. In some instances, we find smaller economies and lower GDP nations not using risk-based decision making at the border”…(read more)

TTEK Delivers Risk Management Workshop to Trinidad & Tobago Customs

TTEK Delivers Risk Management Workshop to Trinidad & Tobago Customs

In line with the development and delivery of a Risk Management System for Customs and OGAs under the Strengthening of the Trinidad and Tobago Electronic Single Window, On November 7-8, TTEK delivered a comprehensive 2-day Customs focused risk management workshop, designed exclusively for Customs practitioners.

WCO SG Speech - Happening Now...Opening Ceremony of 2018 WCO IT Conference in Lima, Peru

WCO SG Speech - Happening Now...Opening Ceremony of 2018 WCO IT Conference in Lima, Peru

June 6, 1015am:  Dr. Kunio Mikuriya delivers an opening speech that touches on risk management and data sharing + border coordination between Customs and OGAs.  He also referenced machine learning and artificial intelligence as emerging technologies for Customs.

Interested in seeing a tangible example or demonstration of what that looks like?  Visit the TTEK booth #19 for a live demo!

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The ASYCUDA Myth Part 4:  Time to Open Source

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The ASYCUDA Myth Part 4:  Time to Open Source

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has never intended to open source ASYCUDA (as the WCO recently did in June 2017 with their Cargo Targeting System).  It seems clear that Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs) should not be in the business of building and selling rudimentary software solutions, and donors should not be funding the development or deployment especially when there is an appearance of a kickback scheme for a select few...

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The ASYCUDA Myth Part 3:  Where is ASYCUDA Millennium?

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The ASYCUDA Myth Part 3:  Where is ASYCUDA Millennium?

Today we launch the next chapter in our series on ASYCUDA.  We hope you enjoy.  If you missed parts 1 and 2, they can be accessed here:

The ASYCUDA Myth Part 1

 The ASYCUDA Myth Part 2

In the last chapter, we discussed the findings of the UN Audits on ASYCUDA and UNCTAD in 2008 and 2012.  In this chapter, we discuss the plans UNCTAD had for ASYCUDA and why they never actually emerged. 

As requested by the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) in 2008, UNCTAD/ASYCUDA was asked to develop a strategy in regards to the development and roll-out of the next generation of ASYCUDA World branded as “ASYCUDA Millennium”...

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The ASYCUDA Myth Part 2:  United Nations Audit Reveals Collusion, and Conflicts of Interest

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The ASYCUDA Myth Part 2:  United Nations Audit Reveals Collusion, and Conflicts of Interest

We’ve prepared a series of upcoming posts over the next 1-2 weeks regarding ASYCUDA that might draw some interest and discussion.  A few months ago, I had posted a blog on ASYCUDA called: “The ASYCUDA Myth Part 1: Is UNCTAD fostering a No-Bid Sole Source Contract for ASYCUDA World?”  This post can be accessed here and discussed the various tactics employed by UNCTAD to secure a sole source deployment of ASYCUDA under the guise of a misleading feasibility study.

The next in the series (posted here today) is called, “The ASYCUDA Myth Part 2:  United Nations Audit Reveals Collusion, and Conflicts of Interest”, and is based on the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight services (OIOS) audits in 2008 and 2012.  Surprisingly, many in our community are still unaware of these reports and the internal conflicts they exposed. Personally, I only discovered them in the last year.  If you are in anyway involved in trade facilitation, customs modernization, and/or capacity building in the developing world, it is very important to understand the specifics of ASYCUDA development to date and where this system is likely headed.

This blog will be followed by 2 more blogs in the next 2 weeks called,

“The ASYCUDA Myth Part 3:  Where is ASYCUDA Millennium?”

and ;

“The ASYCUDA Myth Part 4:  Time to Open Source.” 

I hope these blogs are enjoyed and prompt much discussion to make the positive change that is desperately needed.

How Blockchain Can Restore Trust in Trade (by Wolfgang Lehmacher)

How Blockchain Can Restore Trust in Trade (by Wolfgang Lehmacher)

I'll be honest. I'm intrigued but I'm still not entirely clear on how this can be used to enhance supply chain visibility for Customs and border processing.  It's also not entirely clear yet how the trading community wants to implement this and how a Customs and Other Government Agencies will want to influence (if they should at all?).  

The WCO CTS Myth – Part 3: A Functional Comparison of the WCO CTS With Best Practices for Targeting and Selectivity

The WCO CTS Myth – Part 3: A Functional Comparison of the WCO CTS With Best Practices for Targeting and Selectivity

The WCO professes the CTS to be a complete, efficient, and effective solution.  Based on this scorecard I’d say that’s a bit of an exaggeration and taken from the UNCTAD ASYCUDA Playbook discussed in Part 1 of the WCO CTS Myth.

They further describe it as user-friendly, simple, powerful, affordable, and sustainable.  They say everything is required to implement and sustain an effective cargo manifest risk assessment solution.  Like a technology vendor, they state they will provide the hardware, data assistance, training, support, maintenance.  The WCO is suddenly discovering that software development can be difficult.  As one example, they’ve only obtained 40% of the cargo data in some countries.  That goes a long way from the full visibility needed at the border.  (Maybe goods aren’t being smuggled in the other 60%?) ....

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Why Trade Facilitation Needs a U.N. based Open Source Solution (By David Hamilton)

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Why Trade Facilitation Needs a U.N. based Open Source Solution (By David Hamilton)

David Hamilton is an International Trade Facilitation Consultant at Xalgorithms Foundation.  His latest blog provides interesting insight and compares closed and open source source options for UN developed Trade systems such as ASYCUDA World.  Right now the current closed source method limits the level of participation in designing solutions ultimately meant to provide access.   How can we foster this change?