Improving Customs Transit Systems
In the Islamic Countries
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Employing an approach based on risk management and its accompanying methodologies
would enable Customs to significantly decrease its reliance on physical inspection in order to
identify risks, security threats, or obstacles in the supply chain.
Undeniably, technology must be at the forefront of Customs’ pursuit of rising to the challenges
posed by the digital era and the ongoing technological advancements.
2.1.2 Border Management and Cooperation
Border management and cooperation initiatives involve cooperative arrangements between
Customs, other Border Agencies, the private sector, and the international counterparts involved
in international trade. One of the goals of border management and cooperation is to facilitate
the CTR on a national and international level.
The key aspect of the border management concept is cooperation and coordination among
stakeholders at different levels. The three pillars upon which modern border management
systems are based are the following:
 Intra-service cooperation;
 Inter-agency cooperation;
 International /cross-border cooperation.
Intra-service cooperation is cooperation within ministries and agencies responsible for
specific tasks. Both the vertical aspect of intra-service cooperation among the different
administrative levels from the Border Agencies with the units working at the borders and the
horizontal aspect of cooperation between the various BCPs as well as inland control points
should be taken into account. Examples include the top-down information flow from the central
level to the BCPs by providing information on new regulations, as well as the cooperation
between border veterinarians and inland veterinary authorities in order to enable the secure
transit of veterinary consignments.
Inter-agency cooperation takes a horizontal approach based on cooperation and coordination
between officers of the different agencies active at the border, as well as amongst the central
ministries/OGAs responsible for these services. This starts with day-to-day operational contact
at the BCPs at both a formal and an informal level and extends to the need to coordinate
discussions on mid- and long-term strategies between the ministries. Controls and procedures,
including their sequence, should be clear for all parties, as should the division of responsibilities
for the different tasks between the respective authorities.
International - cross-border cooperation, and thus cooperation between agencies involved
in border issues in different countries, can also have different faces: local cooperation between
officials on both sides of the border focusing on improving day-to-day operations (jour fixe),