UPU Director General Bishar A. Hussein has urged customs authorities to collaborate more closely with Posts as parcel volumes grow from online shopping.
Online shopping is set to surpass the trillion-dollar mark this year (Photo: WCO)
Speaking recently at the annual council of the World Customs Organization (WCO) in Brussels, Belgium, Hussein said: “Our organizations both serve the citizens of the world, facilitating trade, while ensuring the security of our networks.”
As e-commerce goes from strength to strength, the market for online shopping is set to surpass the trillion-dollar mark this year, according to some estimates. This, in turn, has resulted in more business for Posts as they deliver purchases made online.
Joint solutions
As parcel volumes have risen, so have safety concerns about their contents crossing borders.
To ensure that delivery to the customer is not delayed by such concerns, Posts are working with customs authorities to speed up the flow of goods, while guaranteeing public safety.
“Since Customs is a critical link in the global postal supply chain, the Post-Customs interface must be as efficient and as streamlined as possible to ensure a high-quality postal service,” Hussein said.
To this end, the UPU and the WCO have joined forces on developing a number of technological solutions to improve their collaboration.
An electronic-messaging system is in the works to replace paper-based communication between postal operators and customs agencies. The goal is to enable Posts to send Customs data on packages ahead of item arrival.
In 2012, the UPU Convention – the cornerstone of the Union’s legislation - was amended, allowing work in this area to continue.
The UPU’s technical arm, the Postal Technology Centre, is also forging ahead with putting the final touches on the Customs Declaration System.
Once fully deployed, this will enable customers sending parcels to input information about the items directly into an online tool. This data will then be shared with Customs.
The WCO brings together 179 customs administrations, representing countries from every continent.
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