SAFE Framework of Standards

In June 2005 the WCO Council adopted the SAFE Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade (SAFE Framework) that would act as a deterrent to international terrorism, secure revenue collections and promote trade facilitation worldwide. Thus, the SAFE Framework has emerged as the global Customs community’s concerted response to threats to the supply chain security, equally supporting facilitation of legitimate and secure businesses.

The SAFE Framework, based on its five core elements, rests on the three pillars of Customs-to-Customs network arrangements (Pillar 1), Customs-to-Business partnerships (Pillar 2) and Customs-to-other Government Agencies co-operation (Pillar 3). The Pillars sets forth the standards and presents them for adoption as a minimal threshold of what should be done by WCO Members. In 2007, the WCO’s flagship Customs-Business partnership programme - the Authorized Economic Operators (AEO) Programme - was introduced.

Authorized Economic Operators (AEO) Programme

The AEO is defined as “a party involved in the international movement of goods in whatever function that has been approved by or on behalf of a national customs administration as complying with WCO or equivalent supply chain security standards”.

In other words, it is a partnership programme that many Customs administrations are pursuing as a means to both secure and facilitate global trade, by providing incentives/benefits to both Customs and traders that have decided to work in partnership to improve supply chain security

Mutual Recognition Arrangements/Agreements (MRA)

Mutual recognition is a broad concept whereby an action or decision taken or an authorization that has been properly granted by one Customs administration is recognized and accepted by another Customs administration. The standardized approach to AEO authorization provides a solid platform for the long-term development of international systems of mutual recognition of AEO status at bilateral/plurilateral, sub-regional, regional and, in the future, global levels.

MRAs provides a framework to extend AEO benefits across borders in the jurisdiction of the partner country/countries/Customs or economic unions.

AEO 2.0: Advancing Towards New Horizons for Sustainable and Secure Trade

Autorized Economic Operator (AEO) Programme
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Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRA)
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book.
Online AEO Compendium

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Vision / Objective
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Mission / Future Plan
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