Inaugural INCU Global Conference 2014

“Trade Facilitation Post-Bali: Putting Policy into Practice”

The International Network of Customs Universities (INCU) and the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan delivered the Inaugural INCU Global Conference 2014 which took place from 21 to 23 May 2014 in Baku, Republic of Azerbaijan.

Conference Summary

For some time the International Network of Customs Universities (INCU) has worked closely with the World Customs Organization (WCO) through its PICARD (Partnership in Customs Academic Research and Development) Programme to provide opportunities for debating matters of mutual interest to WCO members and to those universities and research institutes that are active in the field of customs research, education and training.

Recognising a need for the establishment of a forum that provides academics with a greater opportunity to present the findings of their research activities, and for emerging researchers and students to present their research proposals to the broader research community, the INCU in partnership with the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan held the Inaugural INCU Global Conference 2014 “Trade Facilitation Post-Bali: Putting Policy into Practice”.

The conference was a tremendous success. It brought together delegates from over 70 countries including representatives of customs administrations, the private sector, academic institutions and international organisations.

The conference was held in English with interpretation in Azerbaijani, French, Russian and Spanish, and was co-chaired by the Chairman of the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Professor Aydin Aliyev, and the President of the INCU, Professor David Widdowson.

The conference co-chairs, Prof. Aydin Aliyev and Prof. David Widdowson welcomed the delegates to the conference. The delegates were also welcomed by the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Abid Sharifov, who underlined the importance of holding this event in Baku and wished the participants a productive conference.

The opening address of the conference was delivered via video by the Director General of the World Trade Organization, H.E. Ambassador Roberto Azevedo.

  • Transcript of the Opening Address by H.E. Ambassador Roberto Azevedo: English

On Day 1 of the conference, the delegates were also addressed by two Nobel Laureates: Professor Sir Christopher A. Pissarides who spoke about “Free Trade and Economic and Monetary Union: Lessons from Europe” and Professor Thomas J. Sargent spoke on the “Effects of Opening Borders”.

The proceedings on Day 1 also included a session on the role of international organisations in international trade facilitation where the delegates heard from representatives of several international organisations including the European Port Community Systems Association (EPCSA), the International Road Transport Union (IRU), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the Internatioal Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH) and the World Bank.

The last session on Day 1 was focused on Customs Directors-General’s perspectives on trade facilitation where the delegates were addressed by Prof. Aydin Aliyev, Chairman of the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan/WCO Vice-Chair for Europe and Dr. Ernani Chiccucci, Director-General of Brazil Customs/Chair of WCO Capacity Building Committee.

The high level Government representation at the conference, including that of the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Minister of Communication and Information Technology, the Deputy Chairman of the Parliament of the Republic of Azerbaijan and other senior members of Government was extremely well received and greatly appreciated by all delegates.

The social program on Day 1 of the conference included a visit to the WCO European Regional Office for Capacity Building, which was followed by the Gala Dinner at the state of the art Heydar Aliyev Centre.

Day 2 of the conference featured a keynote address by Professor Alvin E. Roth, who spoke on the topic of “Repugnant Markets and Prohibited Transactions”, which was followed by a series of three parallel break-out sessions covering the following topics:

  • WTO Bali Package and Its Impact on Customs
  • Regional Impact of Trade Facilitation
  • Customs-Academia Partnerships
  • Customs-Business Partnerships
  • Innovation and Trade Facilitation
  • PhD Candidates and Research Interns
  • Obstacles and Barriers to Trade Facilitation
  • Regional Perspectives on Trade Facilitation, and
  • Trade Facilitation in Emergency and Disaster Relief Situations

Day 3 of the conference, commenced with a keynote address by Dr. Alan D. Bersin, Assistant Secretary of International Affairs and Chief Diplomatic Officer of the US Department of Homeland Security, who delivered an address entitled “Lines and Flows: The Beginning and End of Borders, A Theory of Action for Border Management and Security in a Global Age”. The delegates also heard from other distinguished speakers including Dr. Leonid Lozbenko and Mr. Lars Karlsson.

On Day 3 of the conference, the INCU signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the European Ports Community Systems Association (EPCSA) with the goal of promoting cooperation in the development and provision of world-class research and education. The initial objective of the two organisations is to develop new curriculum modules based around Port Community Systems (PCSs) and the important role they play in the smooth flow of cargo around the world.

  • Signing of MOU Between INCU and IPCSA: Watch

The closing session of the conference also featured the awards ceremony where a number of delegates were awarded for their contribution to international academia-customs cooperation. The success of the conference is testament to the dedication and commitment of the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan and that of its Chairman, Professor Aydin Aliyev, to capacity building and academic excellence as a driver for improved customs services, not only of the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan, but that of its regional and international counterparts. In recognition of this, Professor Aliyev was admitted as an Honorary Fellow of the INCU.

  • Awards Ceremony and Closing Remarks: Watch

The conference also incorporated a General Meeting of INCU members. The meeting was also attended by a number of observers including representatives of EPCSA, the International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH), the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and the US Department of Homeland Security

Based on the outcomes of the conference and the INCU General Meeting, the INCU adopted the Baku Resolution on the future directions of the organisation.

Conference Documents

Conference Presentations

The following presentations were delivered at the conference.

TITLE SPEAKER(S) PDF VIDEO
Day 1
Keynote Address: Free Trade and Economic and Monetary Union: Lessons from Europe

Keynote Address: Effects of Opening Borders

Prof. Sir Christopher Pissarides

Prof. Thomas J. Sargent

EN

EN

EN

EN

Port Community Systems as Trade Facilitation Tools Mr. Richard Morton EN EN
IRU and Its Contribution to Trade Security and Facilitation Ms. Kseniya Kasko EN EN
Trade Facilitation Implementation and Development Dr. Jan Hoffmann EN EN
The Future of Cargo Processing is Here Today – the Port Community System Mr. Alan Long EN EN
World Bank Support for the Agreement on Trade Facilitation Mr. Alan Hall EN EN
Factors Determining the Foreign Trade and Economic Relations Prof. Aydin Aliyev EN
Customs Modernisation and Trade Facilitation Nigeria Experience Mr. Dikko Inde Abdullahi EN EN
A Global Capacity Building Agenda for Border Agencies Dr. Ernani Argolo Checcucci Filho EN EN
Day 2 Breakout Session 1
Keynote Address: Repugnant Markets, Prohibited Transactions Prof. Alvin E. Roth EN EN
Customs Policy Facilitationand Simplification in Trade Turnover of Goods in the Modern World Prof. Wieslaw Czyzowicz EN
The WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement and the Role of the Private Sector Dr. Andrew Grainger EN
From the WCO Revised Kyoto Convention on the Simplification and Harmonization of the Customs Procedures (RKC) to the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) Prof. Irena Kikerkova and Mr. Zlatko Veterovski EN
Perspectives of the World Trade System Following the Ministerial Conference in Bali Prof. Frank Altem鲮ler EN EN
Bali Agreement on Trade Facilitation: Opportunities and Threats for the Private Sector from Developing Countries Perspective Mr. Elisha Tshuma EN EN
Stages of Institutional Development in the Customs System of Ukraine: On the

Road to European Union Standards

Prof. Victor Chentsov and Prof. Evgeniy Garmash EN
Impact of Trade Facilitation Measures agreed in the WTO Bali Package on Regional Arrangements in South Asia Dr. Shrikant Kamat EN
The WTO Bali Package and Its Impact on Customs: A Case Study of Southern African Development Community (SADC) Mr. Dhunraj Kassee EN
ASEAN Economic Community 2015: A Myanmar-Thailand Customs Perspective, Post-Bali Mr. Ashok Sadhwani EN
ESCAP Transport Facilitation Models: A New Paradigm for Cooperative Border Management Mr. Sandeep Raj Jain EN
PICARD Standards vs World Class Customs Requirements Ms. Gabriela Barrientos, Ms.Georgianella Barboza, and

Ms. Wendy Fallas

SP
Recognition of University Customs Curriculum: Issues, Challenges and Possible Solutions Dr. Mikhail Kashubsky EN
The Prospects of Establishing a Single Educational Space/Arena for Specialists in the Field of Customs Dr. Denis Korovyakovskiy RUS
Trends and Perspectives for International Customs- Academia Partnerships Aimed at Customs HR Development and Capacity Building Ms. Alina Baranova RUS
Customs-academia Partnerships: The Theory and Practice from the Perspective of an EU Member State Dr. Dana Sramkova EN
Customs Scientific and Academic Journals as Capacity- Building Instruments Prof. Olena Pavlenko and Prof. Victor Chentsov RUS
Breakout Session 2
Customs Compliance and Trade Facilitation in Brazil: Blue Line Diagnosis and Challenges Prof. Cristiano Morini and Prof. Paulo Costacurta de S Porto EN EN
Trade Facilitation Through Trusted Partnerships Prof. David Widdowson EN EN
Who Takes Most Benefit from AEO Certification?: An Austrian Perspective Assist. Prof. Hans-Joachim Schramm EN EN
Trade Facilitation, the Authorized Economic Operator and the Single Window: A Gravity Model Approach Prof. Paulo Costacurta de S Porto and Prof. Cristiano Morini EN EN
Interaction Between Customs and Business: Taxation and Logistics Prof. Gennady Voyteshonok and Prof. Nikolai Dukhno RUS RUS
A Web-Based Data Pipeline for Compliance in International Trade Mr. David Hesketh EN
Managing Innovative Projects in a Dynamic and Rapidly Changing Environment The Customs Sphere Prof. Igbal Babayev RUS
Leveraging Technology for Domain Specific Threat Analysis and International Trade Facilitation Mr. Akshay Pottathil EN
From IT to Change Management: E-business Implementation to Put Trade Facilitation Bali Package into Practice Dr. Yann Alix
Social Media and Internet as Metaphor for Moving Trade More Rapidly and Securely Prof. Eric Frost EN
Enabling Trusted Trade through Secure Track and Trace Technology Mr. Christophe Renard EN
Rules of Origin and the Use of Free Trade Agreements Ms. Jisoo Yi EN
Improvement of Risk Management Implementation Process of Mongolian Customs Ms. Tsendsuren Davaa EN
Legal Regulation of Establishment of Intergovernmental Customs Information Systems Ms. Valeria Ermakova EN
The Impact of Information and Communication Technology on Trade Facilitation: A Case Study of East and Southern Africa Mr. Cephas Makunike EN
Trade Costs and Trade Composition: A Case Study of Trading Partners of Pakistan Mr. Salamat Ali EN
Breakout Session 3
Trade-Based Money Laundering: An Obstacle to Trade Facilitation Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake EN EN
Tariff, Non-Tariff and Technical Regulation in the Customs Union in the Post-Bali Period as an Element of Ensuring Economic Security in the Regional State Integration Prof. Gennady Brovka RUS RUS
Insecure Borders as an Obstacle to Facilitating Fair Trade and How Non-Verbal Behavioural Training Could Enhance the Fair Trade and Global Investment Mr. Lee Wakefield EN EN
Post-Bali: An Examination of the Impact of Transnational Crime on Trade Facilitation Mr. Peter Rickard EN EN
An Australian Perspective on Trade Facilitation Mr. Bryce Conolan EN
Effective Customs Leadership as Catalyst for Trade Facilitation in the 21st Century: Experience from Nigeria Mr. Sanusi Tasiu Saulawa EN
Uniform Application of Customs Law in the EU Review of the Selected Practices in 28 EU Member States in the Light of Article X.3.(a) of GATT 1994 Dr. Cezary Sowinski and Mr. Ives Taelman EN
Trade Facilitation Post-Bali: Challenges and Possible Solutions in Cambodia Mr. Sopagna Seng EN
Trade Facilitation in Emergency and Relief Operations: Legal Preparedness in the Philippines Experience Mr. Samuel Bautista EN
Trade Facilitation in Emergency and Disaster Relief Situations: Managing Cross Border Trade Under Insurgency, Nigeria Customs Experience Mr. Dera Nnadi & Mr. Etim Ibok EN
Customs as Disaster Manager: Finding the Right Balance Between Flexibility and Control in Times of Humanitarian Crisis Mr. David Fisher EN
Private Sector Perspectives on Cross-Border Operations in Emergency and Disaster Relief Situations Mr. Roger Bryett EN
Day 3
Keynote Address: Lines and Flows: The Beginning and End of Borders, A Theory of Action for Border Management and Security in a Global Age Dr. Alan D. Bersin EN EN
Further Development and Implementation of the WCO Orientation Package for  Senior Decision Makers as Trade Facilitation Measure Dr. Leonid Lozbenko EN RUS
Education and Development as a Key to Enhancing Trade Facilitation Capabilities Dr. Abdulnassir Al-Tamimi & Mr. Mohammad Al-Naimi EN EN
The Role of Leadership in Capacity Building, Reform and Modernization Mr. Lars Karlsson EN EN

Conference Photos

Acknowledgement 

The INCU wishes to formally thank the conference host, the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan and all involved in the events planning for the excellent organisation of this conference and their impressive hospitality. The quality of services, which was simply outstanding, underpinned the conferences success and positive outcome.