The WCO Global AEO Conference will begin its three-day run on Tuesday at Sheraton Walkerhill Hotel in Seoul, jointly hosted by the Korea Customs Service and the World Customs Organization.

It will be the largest-ever gathering on the Authorized Economic Operator program, with some 800 guests including WCO secretary general Kunio Mikuriya in attendance.

Since the 9/11 terrorist attack in 2001, the global customs administration has focused on balancing the AEO’s two main goals: improving the efficiency of trade flow and tightening surveillance on security threats at the same time.

Under the theme “AEO, The Way Towards Secure and Competitive Growth,” the Seoul conference will offer opportunities for participating nations to discuss ways for the settlement and expansion of the AEO program.

Key agenda include sharing AEO experiences of individual countries to improve the existing programs and encourage other developing countries to join the new initiative.

As of March, 54 countries have adopted the AEO program, a new global customs trend together with a free trade agreement. Korea introduced the program in 2009.

Several working-level meetings also will be arranged for attending customs officials and business people to discuss more preferential treatment that would offer benefits for AEO companies.

Such meetings are also aimed at seeking a Mutual Recognition Arrangement, through which all national systems are mutually recognized and their accreditations have the same value everywhere.

A total of 17 MRAs have been signed globally. Japan holds six agreements, followed by Korea and the U.S. with five each, EU with four and Canada with three.

Together with the WCO chief, customs leaders from 13 international organizations and 23 countries, academics and business people will join the Seoul gathering this week. 

They include customs chiefs from around the world such as Gagik Khachatryan of Armenia, Snorri Olsen of Iceland, Doron Arbely of Israel, Fitzroy John of Trinidad and Tobago and Happias Kuzvinzwa of Zimbabwe.

“I believe that the Seoul conference will be an opportunity to strengthen competitiveness for countries that have already adopted the program as well as those preparing for the adoption any time soon,” Korean customs chief Joo Yung-sup said in a welcoming message.

By Lee Ji-yoon (jylee@heraldcorp.com)