Vientiane, Laos -- The US-ASEAN Business Council recently held its 12th annual consultation with the ASEAN Customs Directors-General. The Council delegation included senior representatives from General Motors, IBM, Kraft Foods, Levi Strauss & Co, Motorola, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Unisys.  The large delegation to the consultation underscores US business commitment to further strengthen cooperation with the various ASEAN Customs Administrations. .

The delegation was led by Andrew Jackson, from IBM's Import Compliance Office and Chairman of the Council's Customs Working Group.

At the consultation, the delegation urged ASEAN to take steps to improve customs and regulatory transparency to encourage further investment and to provide business certainty in this rapidly expanding region.  The delegation proposed the enhancement of customs administration websites to include up-to-date regulatory information and customs procedures.  The Council also proposed that customs administrations consider appointing a dedicated customs contact for key importers to promote increased cooperation on Authorized Economic Operators (AEO) and to implement constructive and trade-enhancing initiatives.

"The high level of cooperation within the ASEAN region on customs modernisation, simplification and commonality is extremely encouraging. In addition, the increasing willingness of individual administrations to engage industry on important issues such as AEO implementation, trade facilitation opportunities and issue resolution management provides strong platform for ensuring the pro-investment agenda of the ASEAN region continues to flourish", Mr. Jackson said.

The Council delegation also had bilateral meetings with senior customs officials from Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia and the Philippines.  The delegation met with the senior customs official from the ASEAN Secretariat. 

ASEAN is the third largest overseas market for U.S. exports, and two-way U.S.-ASEAN trade reached US$170 billion in 2007.  ASEAN customs administrations have a central role to play in ensuring that two-way trade continues to grow.

Formed in 2005, the Customs Working Group has over 25 corporate members.  The Group focuses on the elimination of trade barriers and the promotion of trade facilitation in the ASEAN region.