Improving Customs Transit Systems
In the Islamic Countries
51
factor is the incentives of Customs and Border Police Officers to promote delays as a means of
extracting bribes. There is usually no time standard for average or maximum border check and
no positive incentive to complete checks in the shortest possible time.
Effective control of goods, passengers, and means of transports could be complex and difficult.
A specific risk management approach at BCP enables CA to improve performance and to
facilitate border crossing, including through simplification measures such as fast lanes.
Integrated Border Management (IBM) and Common IT systems are essential aspects of
underpinning risk management at Border Crossing Points.
A common mistake in designing BCPs is to overload it with Border Agencies, as well as the
procedures. The first strategic rule is to allow only two “core” Border Agencies at the BCPs:
Customs and Border Police, whereas any other should be placed selectively.
The next step in Trade Facilitation is to limit the border checks to the absolute minimum. This
will exclude weighing and scanning and reduce physical checks to exceptional cases. The
controls – physical and documentary – it can be done at the office of departure (or exporters’
premises) and results submitted electronically to all BCPs and all Customs offices which the
truck will cross.
Such a setup would reduce BCP construction costs, the staff payroll costs and also reduce
corruption – all desirable results from economical and public policy viewpoints.
2.2 Good Practices from 3 Regional Transit Systems
2.2.1 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Computerized Transit
System (ACTS)
2.2.1.1 Objectives of ACTS
The main objective of the ACTS46 is to support ASEAN MS global aim – trade facilitation and
strengthening the ASEAN MS Customs Administration operational capacity in terms of customs
transit through the implementation of the IT systems. The ACTS project is in compliance with
the objectives set out in the 4th meeting of the ASEAN Customs Procedures and Trade Facilitation
Working Group (CPTFWG)47, and will further align modern ASEAN Regional Transit System in
line with the member states’ Customs’ operational procedures.
ASEAN MS are geographically located on strategic transport corridors and actively participate
in the integration of the transport network in Southeast Asia. With this in mind, ASEAN
established the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Goods in Transit (AFAFGT
46 The three OIC MS participating in the ACTS Project are Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei Darussalam
47