SAARC customs officials' meeting in Kathmandu in early Nov
Saturday, 22 September 2007
FE Report
Senior revenue officials of SAARC states will meet in Kathmandu early November to discuss a harmonised customs structure aiming to expedite the formation of an economic union in the region.
SAARC or South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation is a regional body of eight South Asian countries comprising Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Diplomatic sources said the harmonised customs system is aimed not only at removing tariff, para-tariff and non-tariff barriers, but also speeding up the process of forming an economic union in the region.
According to the sources, in line with the decision in the 13th SAARC Summit held in Dhaka in 2005, the meeting of customs officials was scheduled to be held each year but it did not take place during the last two years after that held in Delhi in 2004.
Sources said the meeting is very important in the sense that it will also help SAARC member states introduce a harmonised documentation system in order to avoid existing complicacies in customs settlement.
They said the revenue officials will discuss formation of a common platform to share all sorts of information at the earliest following developments in international trade and utilise the cutting edge technology for easy customs management.
When asked, a diplomatic source said, "We will consider sharing all information except those which pose a threat to the national security."
Sources said the revenue officials, on the basis of the progress in the meeting, might hold another meeting before the next SAARC summit scheduled to be held in Maldives in May 2008.
The aim of the SAARC countries to form an economic union like that of Europe will be nearer with introducing such a harmonised customs structure in the region, an official said.
It is time, as per roadmap of SAARC, to introduce a harmonised customs system in the region to make capital, investment and labour market open for SAARC countries to boost their trade, he said.
Answering a question, an official source said though the South Asian Free Trade Agreement came into operation in July 2006, the SAARC countries are failing to reap its optimum benefit due to non-tariff and para-tariff barriers.
When asked, he said the meeting, which was scheduled for September 11-12, will now be held on November 11-12.
Senior revenue officials of SAARC states will meet in Kathmandu early November to discuss a harmonised customs structure aiming to expedite the formation of an economic union in the region.
SAARC or South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation is a regional body of eight South Asian countries comprising Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Diplomatic sources said the harmonised customs system is aimed not only at removing tariff, para-tariff and non-tariff barriers, but also speeding up the process of forming an economic union in the region.
According to the sources, in line with the decision in the 13th SAARC Summit held in Dhaka in 2005, the meeting of customs officials was scheduled to be held each year but it did not take place during the last two years after that held in Delhi in 2004.
Sources said the meeting is very important in the sense that it will also help SAARC member states introduce a harmonised documentation system in order to avoid existing complicacies in customs settlement.
They said the revenue officials will discuss formation of a common platform to share all sorts of information at the earliest following developments in international trade and utilise the cutting edge technology for easy customs management.
When asked, a diplomatic source said, "We will consider sharing all information except those which pose a threat to the national security."
Sources said the revenue officials, on the basis of the progress in the meeting, might hold another meeting before the next SAARC summit scheduled to be held in Maldives in May 2008.
The aim of the SAARC countries to form an economic union like that of Europe will be nearer with introducing such a harmonised customs structure in the region, an official said.
It is time, as per roadmap of SAARC, to introduce a harmonised customs system in the region to make capital, investment and labour market open for SAARC countries to boost their trade, he said.
Answering a question, an official source said though the South Asian Free Trade Agreement came into operation in July 2006, the SAARC countries are failing to reap its optimum benefit due to non-tariff and para-tariff barriers.
When asked, he said the meeting, which was scheduled for September 11-12, will now be held on November 11-12.