Authorized Economic Operator Programs
In the Islamic Countries:
Enhancing Customs-Traders Partnership
79
Legal base of the GL Program is the Customs Law 20/1998. There were two amendments in
2005 and 2011 without an explicit clause on the GL program.
Table 4.1. Timeline of the Development of the Jordan Customs Golden List Program
September 2003. Jordan Customs and USAID
agree to design and implement an AEO
Program.
October 2004. Compliance manuals for
each industry segment are drafted.
October 2003. Jordan Customs completes the
legal research necessary to create an enabling
environment.
December 2004. At the WCO biannual
meeting in Amman, informal discussions
between Jordan Customs Department and
CBP are held.
November 2003. Compliance audit training is
conducted.
March 2005. The WCO provides an
advance copy of the SAFE Standards to
validate the Jordan Customs Department’s
Golden List Program planning.
February 2004. The first public information
seminar is held.
May 2005. Jordan Customs Department
provides training to private sector
companies.
March 2004. Volunteer pilot test companies
are selected for al supply chain industries.
June 2005. The WCO issues the SAFE
Standards. Jordan Customs begin mutual
recognition process, beginning with
assessment of Golden List supply chain
security components against C-TPAT
program.
April 2004. AEO program plan, with final
target dates and responsibilities, is drafted.
August 2005. Jordan Customs officially
launches Golden List Program and opens
participation to other qualified Jordan
companies.
May 2004. Jordan Customs Department
finalizes its Compliance Audit Manual and
participates in a public information seminar
sponsored by Customs and the pilot test
companies.
Source: Holler and Schanck (2010).
One of the distinctive features of the GL program design is its alignment with the Project
Management Institute (PMI) standards. Table 4.1 presents the timeline of the development of
the Jordan Customs GL program.
Golden List, a voluntary based Customs program, was a brand-new doing-business practice in
its inaugural years in Jordan and was met with a great degree of skepticism by the private
sector. As a result, the initial number of companies applying for the GL program was well
below expectations in spite of extensive promotional activities described in Table 4.1.