World customs body moves HQ from Brussels

World customs body moves HQ from Brussels

NUSA DUA, Bali (JP): The Netherlands, Germany and Morocco are
vying to become the new headquarters of the World Customs
Organization (WCO) now based in Brussels.

A senior executive of the organization, V.P.M. Strachan, said
here yesterday that the potential sites were debated during the
organization's four-day meeting, which was opened here on Monday.

"We have not decided where the headquarters should be
relocated because other countries want to retain the office in
Brussels," said Strachan, chairwoman of the meeting, which
closes tomorrow.

The WCO wants to relocate its headquarters and restructure its
organization to cope with its budget difficulties.

Strachan said that operational costs at the headquarters have
been increasing due to high leasing costs in Brussels, which is
home to a number of international bodies.

Participants at the meeting, which is also discussing the
simplification of customs procedures among the organization's 140
member countries, will propose a resolution -- to relocate or to
stay in Brussels -- at the WCO's council meeting in Hong Kong
next June.

"The final approval whether or not we have to relocate the
headquarters will be taken during next year's meeting," Strachan
said.

The Bali meeting, which was opened by Minister of Finance
Mar'ie Muhammad, is being attended by the WCO's 27 policy
commission members representing regional offices in North,
Central and East Africa, Asia, Australia, the Pacific islands,
North and South America as well as Europe.

Strachan said that the role of the WCO in international trade
will remain important even amid the pressure to scrap all tariff
and non-tariff barriers in the world.

In the globalization era, she said, the organization will
likely turn its attention to illegal trade practices such as drug
trafficking.(hen)