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Authorized Economic Operators

In the Islamic Countries:

Enhancing Customs-Traders Partnership

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Customs, to use induced security for Customs transactions and to benefit from flat-rate

security for Customs transactions.

The motivation for the Ministry of Trade for narrowing down the use of ATS in Turkey was

that ATS proved to be insufficient in providing the necessary safety and trade facilitation needs

in each passing year. Firstly, ATS was an intermediate status with no international recognition.

Secondly, since there were no physical site visits by Customs officials and no particular

requirements for record-keeping, safety and security, it was impossible for the Customs to

provide additional trade facilitation measures.

4.2.1.2. AEO Design

To overcome the deficiencies of ATS, Turkey has launched its Authorized Economic Operator

(AEO) Program in 2013 based on Article 5A of the Turkish Customs Code (2009) and the

Turkish Customs Implementation Regulation on Simplification of Customs Procedures (2013

amendment).

The Ministry of Trade developed the AEO Program of Turkey in compliance with the WCO

SAFE Framework. The design of the AEO is in general based on the EU program. However,

some of the aspects of C-TPAT (the AEO program of USA) and South Korean AEO program

were also incorporated to the Turkish AEO Program design.

In Turkey, the Directorate General of Risk Management and Control was established in June

2011 based on the Customs Law No. 640 with the responsibility of risk analysis and risk

management. AEO program in Turkey has been developed and implemented by this

Directorate.

During the development of the AEO program in Turkey, the Directorate General of Risk

Management and Control has benefited from extended discussions with a sample group of

domestic firms and non-governmental organizations. Furthermore, experts from the

Netherlands, France, and South Korea were invited to thoroughly understand the development

and implementation of the AEO programs in these countries.

The AEO program in Turkey involves both export and import regimes. AEO status was

obtained by exporters, importers and international freight carriers, in that order. Currently,

other operators of the supply chain are not eligible for the AEO status.

The Ministry of Trade has gone to great lengths at creating awareness about the AEO program

in Turkey in the stages of development and implementation including but not limited to

development of a logo, development of a web page, launching an event video, promotional

activities –at the Minister level- in all 8 Regional Customs and Trade Directorates in Turkey,

manuals and brochures (printed and online) and online promotional videos.

Figure 4.2 presents the number of AEOs in Turkey starting from year 2013. As observed in the

figure, during the inaugural years, the AEO program was met with some degree of resistance

owing to the objections of the ATS holder companies. These companies insisted on being

upgraded to the trade facilitation measures provided by the AEO status without reapplying.

However, the Ministry had to stipulate brand new application procedures due to added record-

keeping, safety and security measures that had to be monitored through field visits.