WCO Free Zone Online Conference

Meeting the SDGs - Ensuring customs involvement for Free Zones’ competitiveness, safety and sustainability

Objective

The key objectives of the conference are:

• To understand the current situation of free zones (FZs) and their contribution to national economies and the importance of meeting SDGs by ensuring Customs involvement for FZs’ competitiveness, safety and sustainability;
• To confirm the growing need to apply adequate Customs procedures and controls in FZs;
• To discuss Customs’ roles in FZs, and explore solutions to enable Customs, relevant authorities and the private sector to collectively address current and emerging challenges in FZs; and,
• To explore key principles for suitable Customs roles that conform to the sustainable development of FZs, while reflecting views and suggestions from diverse perspectives on adequate Customs procedures and controls.

UNCTAD's Mr. Stefano Inama, Chief, Technical Cooperation and Enhanced Integrated Framework Section will deliver the keynote presentation during Session 4: Rules of origin and FZs. 

The session will address the following topics:

• What are the challenge associated to FZ regarding the origin determination?
• What should be considered for the origin determination of goods manufactured in FZs?

Panelists will include:

• Mr.  Jean-Michel Grave, Head of Unit E5 (ROO etc.), DG TAXUD, European Commission

• Mr. Shubhendu Misra, Alliance Global Director, Customs & Trade, Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi

• Mr. Lakhdar, Director General, Morocco Customs (TBC)