Day 1: Wednesday 3 May 2017

08:30-09:30

Arrival of participants and registration

09:30-10:00

Opening Remarks

Kunio Mikuriya, Secretary General, World Customs Organization (WCO)

Ato Kebede Chane, Director General, Ethiopia Revenues and Customs Authority

10:00-10:30

Key Note Speech

Commissioner of Trade and Industry, African Union Commission (AUC), H.E. Ambassador Albert M. Muchanga

10:30-11:00

Coffee and networking break

11:00-12:30

Session 1: Regional Integration and its Impact on Rules of Origin

This session will provide an overview of regional integration, covering trade in goods on a global level. It focuses on the latest trends and developments and their impact on rules of origin as well as on the economic impact of rules of origin.  The session will also provide success stories for regional integration.

Moderator: Ping Liu, Tariff and Trade Affairs Directorate, WCO

Speaker 1: Michael Lux, Hamburg Customs Academy see presentation

Speaker 2: Edward Kafeero, University of Münster see presentation

Speaker 3: Mondher Mimouni, ITC and Global EPAs Research Consortium see presentation

12:30-14:30

Lunch and networking break

14:30-16:00

Session 2: Regional Integration and Rules of Origin in Africa

This session will discuss regional integration on the African continent including the latest developments, challenges encountered in the region, its vision and its impact on rules of origin.  It will touch upon the process of developing rules of origin for the regional integration within the African Union.

Moderator: Khauhelo Mawana, Trade and Industry Department, African Union Commission see presentation

Speaker 1: Aissata Koffi, Customs Directorate of the ECOWAS Commission see presentation

Speaker 2: Eckart Naumann, Trade Law Center for Southern Africa (TRALAC) see presentation

16:00-16:30

Coffee and networking break

16:30-18:00

Session 3: FTA Utilization

This session will present good practices which serve as basis for decision making at policy level and raising awareness of the stakeholders regarding the effectiveness and efficiency of preferential rules of origin.  The session will also present tools used for the promotion of FTAs.

Moderator: Brian Staples, Trade Facilitation Services (TFS), consulting group

Speaker 1: Jeremy Harris, Inter-American Development Bank see presentation

Speaker 2: Bonggyu Chae, Korea Customs Service see presentation

Speaker 3: Nan Ding, General Administration of Customs of China see presentation

18:00-20:00

Launch of the WCO Origin Compendium

Followed by networking cocktail hosted by Mr. Kunio Mikuriya, Secretary General, WCO

Day 2: Thursday 4 May 2017

09:00-11:00

Session 4: Implementation of the WTO Nairobi Decision on Preferential Rules of Origin for LDCs

This session will give an introduction to the WTO Decision on Preferential Rules of Origin for LDCs to make it easier for LDC’s exports to qualify for preferential market access. It will also analyze the challenges, progress and future actions in relation to the implementation of the Decision.

Moderator: Ping Liu, Tariff and Trade Affairs Directorate, WCO

Speaker 1: Darlan Marti, Market Access Division, WTO see presentation

Speaker 2: Stefano Inama, UNCTAD see presentation

Speaker 3: Rodolfo Vilches Velasco, Chile Customs see presentation

Speaker 4: Gail W. Strickler, Brookfield Associates, L.L.C., Global Trade Consulting see presentation

11:00-11:30

Coffee and networking break

11:30-12:30

Session 5: Administration of Rules of Origin

A major challenge for all stakeholders is the lack of harmonization within the area of origin.  The WCO is promoting procedural harmonization to ensure facilitation and compliance through the proper implementation of WCO Guidelines on Origin Certification and Verification.  This session will focus on the role of the WCO Revised Kyoto Convention and the further development of a work program for the simplification and harmonization of Customs procedures.  It will also provide good national practices for the implementation of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement in relation to rules of origin.

Moderator: Mette Azzam, Tariff and Trade Affairs Directorate, WCO

Speaker 1: Mette Azzam, Tariff and Trade Affairs Directorate, WCO see presentation

Speaker 2: Brian Staples, Trade Facilitation Services (TFS), consulting group see presentation

12:30-14:30

Lunch and networking break

14:30-15:30

Session 5: Administration of Rules of Origin (cont.)

Speaker 3: Rodolfo Vilches Velasco, Chile Customs see presentation

Speaker 4: Gabrielle Tramby, Department of Immigration and Border Protection,

                  Australian Border Force see presentation

15:30-16:00

Coffee and networking break

16:00-17:45

Session 6: Future of Rules of Origin

This session covers views from different stakeholders to predict the future developments and the role of the trade community and Customs on a global level in the field of rules of origin. The aim of this session is to generate active discussions between all stakeholders in order to initiate a useful roadmap for the way forward on rules of origin.

Moderator: Stefan Moser, Attorney at Law and former Chair of the WCO Technical Committee on Rules of Origin and the WTO Committee on Rules of Origin

Speaker 1: Jean-Michel Grave, DG TAXUD, B.4, EU Commission see presentation

Speaker 2: Jonas Kasteng, National Board of Trade, Swedish government agency see presentation

Speaker 3: Darlan Marti, Market Access Division, WTO

Speaker 4: Hiroshi Imagawa, Japan Association for Simplification of International

                  Trade Procedures (JASTPRO) see presentation

17:45-18:00

Closing Remarks

Kunio Mikuriya, Secretary General, WCO and the AUC Commissioner of Trade and Industry, H.E. Ambassador Albert M. Muchanga (TBC)