The European Union and Japan sign Mutual recognition of Authorized Economic Operators
Brussels 24th June, 2010
Joint press release
The European Union and Japan sign mutual recognition of Authorized Economic Operators
Director-General Walter Deffaa of Taxation and Customs Union of the European Commission and Director-General Toshiyuki Ohto of Customs and Tariff Bureau of the Ministry of Finance, Japan signed today the decision establishing mutual recognition of Authorized Economic Operators (AEOs) between the EU and Japan. This mutual recognition offers enhanced trade facilitation opportunities provided by customs to certified trustworthy traders on both sides who have invested in securing their supply chains. In this way customs can also concentrate on high risks.
The signature took place in the presence of EU Commissioner for Taxation and Customs Union, Audit and Anti-fraud, Algirdas Šemeta and the Ambassador of Japan to the European Union, Nobutake Odano.
With this decision, two major trading partners, the EU and Japan, establish the equivalence of their AEOs programmes and provide for recognition of each other’s security certified operators. Japanese AEOs will receive benefits by European customs that are comparable to those received by EU AEOs; Japan will apply the same for EU AEOs in Japan.
"This Decision on mutual recognition of AEOs is an important milestone both in trade facilitation and in securing the global supply chain" said Commissioner Šemeta at the signing ceremony at the World Customs Organization (WCO) headquarters in Brussels. He also "reaffirmed the EU's continued commitment to the work of the WCO, in particular in strategic areas such as IPR enforcement, supply chain security, risk management, capacity building, coordinated border management and Globally Networked Customs."
Ambassador Odano highlighted that "at the last EU-Japan Summit meeting, leaders called for more action oriented partnerships." He emphasised that "the signing of AEO mutual recognition is a good example of a very active and action-oriented cooperation between the Customs authorities of Japan and the EU."