Authorized Economic Operators
In the Islamic Countries:
Enhancing Customs-Traders Partnership
48
were designed to complement these surveys for the case study countries. (See Annex II in the
end of the report for surveys).
Five distinct surveys5 were created to reflect the current AEO/CCP status of OIC member
countries:
 Survey A: Operational AEO Program
 Survey B: AEO Program under development
 Survey C: Operational CCP
 Survey D: CCP under development
 Survey E: Neither AEO Program nor CCP
3.2.2 Identification of Themes and Variables
Together with survey design and distribution, as in APEC (2016), a qualitative comparator
matrix is created using 7 major themes and 15 variables for operational AEO programs 6:
1. General information on the AEO program
a. Sectors of AEOs
b. Types of operators
2. Application, verification, and authorization
a. Application, verification, and authorization procedures
b. Self-assessment procedures
3. Security and compliance requirements
a. Compliance requirements
b. Physical security requirements
4. Post-authorization
a. Post-authorization audit
b. Suspension, revocation and cancellation procedures
5. Customs organizational structure for AEO programs
a. Customs organizational structure for AEO programs
b. Training provided to Customs officers
6. Partnership between Customs Authority and the private sector
a. Partnership initiatives
b. Benefits of AEOs
c. MRAs
d. SMEs
7. Accessibility of information on Customs Authority’s website about the AEO program
a. Electronic promotion of the AEO program
These 15 variables are supported by 92 questions that are defined as sub-variables.
5 The main survey questionnaire is adopted from APEC (2016). The motivation for using a very similar survey
is to create the possibility of meaningful comparisons with APEC Member States.
6 Countries that are in the development stage of AEO programs or CCPs along with countries with no
design/implementation of these programs had a very poor response rate to the survey. A descriptive analysis
was provided in the previous section for these countries. Among OIC member states, 15 out of 57 countries
(Albania, Cameroon, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, Morocco, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Sudan,
Tunisia, Turkey and Uganda) have responded to the survey.