DECISION No 1/2010 OF THE JOINT CUSTOMS COOPERATION COMMITTEE

of 24 June 2010

pursuant to Article 21 of the Agreement between the European Community and the Government of Japan on Cooperation and Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters

regarding mutual recognition of Authorised Economic Operators programmes in the European Union and in Japan

(2010/637/EU)

THE JOINT CUSTOMS COOPERATION COMMITTEE (hereinafter referred to as ‘the JCCC’),

Having regard to the Agreement between the European Community and the Government of Japan on Cooperation and Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters, signed on 30 January 2008 (hereinafter referred to as ‘the CCMAAA’), and in particular Article 21 thereof,

Considering that a joint evaluation has confirmed that Authorised Economic Operators (hereinafter referred to as ‘AEO’) programmes in the European Union (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Union’) and in Japan are security and compliance initiatives and has revealed that their qualification standards for membership are compatible and lead to equivalent results,

Considering that the programmes apply internationally recognised security standards advocated by the SAFE Framework of Standards adopted by the World Customs Organisation (hereinafter referred to as ‘the SAFE Framework’),

Acknowledging the special nature of the legislation and management of each programme,

Considering that, in accordance with the CCMAAA, the Union and Japan are to develop customs cooperation to facilitate trade and that customs security and safety, and facilitation of the international trade supply chain, can be significantly enhanced by mutual recognition of their AEO programmes, and

Considering that mutual recognition allows the Union and Japan to provide facilitative benefits to operators who have invested in supply chain security and have been certified by their AEO programmes,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

I

Mutual Recognition and Responsibility for Implementation

The AEO programmes of the Union and Japan are hereby mutually recognised to be compatible and equivalent and the corresponding AEO statuses granted are mutually accepted.

The customs authorities defined in Article 1(c) of the CCMAAA (hereinafter referred to as ‘customs authorities’) are responsible for implementation of this Decision.

The AEO programmes concerned are:

(a) the European Union Authorised Economic Operator programme (covering the ‘security and safety’ AEO certificate and the ‘customs simplifications, security and safety’ AEO certificates)

(Council Regulation (EEC) No 2913/92(1) and Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2454/93(2), as amended by Regulation (EC) No 648/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council(3) and Title IIA of Regulation (EC) No 1875/2006(4)); and

(b) the Japanese Authorised Economic Operators programme (Customs Law).

II

Compatibility

The customs authorities maintain the consistency between the programmes and ensure that standards applied to each programme remain compatible with respect to the following matters:

(a) application process for granting AEO status;

(b) assessment of applications; and

The customs authorities ensure that the programmes operate within the SAFE Framework.

III

Benefits

Each customs authority provides comparable benefits to economic operators holding AEO status under the other customs authority’s programme.

These include, in particular:

(a) taking the AEO status of an operator authorised by the other customs authority into account favourably in its risk assessment to reduce inspections or controls and in other security-related measures; and

(b) endeavouring to establish a joint business continuity mechanism to respond to disruptions in trade flows due to increases in security alert levels, border closures and/or natural disasters, hazardous emergencies or other major incidents, where priority cargos shipped by AEO could be facilitated and expedited to the extent possible by the customs authorities.

Each customs authority may also provide further benefits with a view to facilitating trade following the review process referred to in paragraph 2 of Part V of this Decision.

Each customs authority retains the authority to suspend the benefits provided to members of the other customs authority’s programme under this Decision. Such suspension of benefits by one customs authority is promptly communicated and reasoned to the other customs authority for consultation.

Each customs authority reports irregularities involving economic operators holding AEO status under the other customs authority’s programme to the other customs authority in order to ensure immediate analysis of the appropriateness of the benefits and status granted by the other customs authority.

IV

Information Exchange and Communication

The customs authorities enhance communication in order to implement this Decision effectively. They exchange information and foster communication on their programmes in particular by:

(a) providing updates on operation and development of their programmes in a timely manner;

(b) engaging in mutually beneficial exchanges of information regarding supply chain security; and

(c) ensuring effective inter-agency communication between the European Commission Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union and the International Intelligence Office of the Customs Administration of Japan to enhance risk management practices with respect to supply chain security on the part of the members of the programmes.

Exchanges of information are conducted in accordance with the CCMAAA in electronic format.

Information and related data, notably on members of the programmes, are exchanged in a systematic manner by electronic means.

Details to be exchanged on economic operators authorised by the AEO programmes include:

(a) the name of the economic operator holding AEO status;

(b) the address of the economic operator concerned;

(d) the validation or authorisation date;

(e) suspensions and revocations;

(f) the unique authorisation number (e.g. EORI or AEO numbers); and

(g) other details that may be established between the customs authorities.

The customs authorities guarantee data protection in accordance with the CCMAAA, in particular Article 16 thereof.

The data exchanged are used strictly for the purposes of implementing this Decision.

V

Consultation and Review

All issues related to implementation of this Decision are to be settled by consultations between the customs authorities in the framework of the JCCC.

The JCCC reviews implementation of this Decision regularly. This review process may include, in particular:

(a) joint verifications to identify strengths and weaknesses in implementing mutual recognition;

(b) exchanges of views on details to be exchanged and benefits, including any future benefit, to be granted to operators in accordance with paragraph 2 of Part III of this Decision;

(c) exchanges of views on security provisions such as protocols to be followed during and after a serious security incident (business resumption) or when conditions merit suspension of mutual recognition;

(d) reviews of conditions for suspension of the benefits referred to in paragraph 3 of Part III of this Decision; and

(e) comprehensive reviews of this Decision.

This Decision may be modified by a decision of the JCCC.

VI

General Acknowledgments

This Decision implements the existing provisions of the CCMAAA and does not constitute a new international agreement.

All activities of each customs authority pursuant to this Decision are carried out in accordance with the respective laws and regulations of the Union and Japan and the applicable international agreements to which they are a party.

The contents of this Decision are without prejudice to customs authorities granting assistance to each other.

VII

Commencement, Suspension and Termination

The cooperation under this Decision commences on 24 June 2010.

Either customs authority may suspend cooperation under this Decision at any time but provides at least thirty (30) days written notice thereof.

The cooperation under this Decision may be terminated by a decision of the JCCC.

Done at Brussels, 24 June 2010.

For the EU-Japan Joint Customs Cooperation Committee

Director-General Taxation and Customs Union of the European Commission

Walter DEFFAA

Director-General Customs and Tariff Bureau of Ministry of Finance, Japan

Toshiyuki OHTO

(1)

OJ L 302, 19.10.1992, p. 1

(2)

OJ L 253, 11.10.1993, p. 1

(3)

OJ L 117, 4.5.2005, p. 13

(4)

OJ L 360, 19.12.2006, p. 64