WCO and Circular economy

Question 1

• Green Customs Initiative (GCI)
• established in 2004, 13 partners
• https://www.greencustoms.org/

Answer 1

• Green Customs Guide to MEAs (2018)
• Frontline Customs Officers’ Guide to Key Multilateral Environmental Agreements (2021 December)
• 3-learning modules

Question 2

• Recommendation of the Customs Co-Operation Council concerning Actions Against Cross-Border Environmental Offences (28 June 2008)
• http://www.wcoomd.org/en/about-us/legal-instruments/recommendations/ec_recommendations.aspx

Answer 2

1) Remain as one of the priorities of, 2) Raise awareness of Customs officials, 3) Play an active role in national legislation, 4) Include environmental training courses, 5) Implement risk assessment, 6) Apply intelligence and investigation techniques, 7) Apply available modern technological instruments, 8) Identify potential illicit trafficking, 9) Safety measures are adopted for Customs officials, 10) Report CEN, 11) Co-operate with competent authorities and other Customs, 12) co-operation with IOs

Question 3

• Operation Demeter
• Demeter: ギリシア神話・農業の女神デメトール

Answer 3

• With the first edition dating back to 2009, DEMETER VII conducted from 1 to 31 October 2021
• Operation Demeter tackles the illicit trafficking of waste, ozone depleting substances and HFCs
  *

Question 4

• “Current situation, analysis and observations on waste control at borders by Customs” (December 2020)
• http://www.wcoomd.org/en/topics/research.aspx

Answer 4

• 1 Overview of international waste trade
• 2 Legal framework for waste control at borders and Customs’ contribution
• 3 Analysis of current situation on waste control at borders
  
  • CEN data, Basel PIC data (legal and illegal)
• 4 Observations

Question 5

• Probo Koala Incident (August 2006)

Answer 5

• In March 2006, Trafigura chartered tanker Probo Koala to collect coker naphtha (heavy residual fuel oil) from Brownsville, Texas. Washed off he cost of Libya or Gibraltar.
• In July, berthed in Amsterdam, but rejected unloading.
• In August, berthed in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire and dumped wastes improperly. Caused 15 death, 69 hospitalization

Question 6

• Asia Pacific Plastic Waste Project (APPW)
• supported by Japanese gov.

Answer 6

• April 2020 – March 2022 (extended March 2023)
• 4 members (Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Sri Lanka)
• Diagnostic missions, national implementation plans, capacity building materials, national workshops
• Asia Pacific Plastic Waste Conference (February 25, 2022)

Question 7

• “Looking back on the WCO theme for 2020: Customs fostering Sustainability for People, Prosperity and the Planet” (januaru 2021)
• WCO

Answer 7

• supporting effective implementation of various Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs)
• HS 2022 for Kigali Amendments
• Risk Management Compendium, related Recommendations
• HS 2022 for separate classification of e-waste
• Environment Programme (EP)
• Asia Pacific Plastic Waste Border Management Project
• WCO has joined the Basel Convention’s Environmental Network for Optimizing Regulatory Compliance on Illegal Traffic (ENFORCE)
• Operation DEMETER VI for illegal waste trade
• EP’s INAMA Project for illegal wildlife trade
• Operation THUNDER for illegal wildlife trade

Question 8

• “Customs fostering sustainability for people, prosperity and the planet” (February 2020)
• WCO news

Answer 8

• theme of the year (SG)
• environmental program & survey result
• 2022 HS amendment
• Basel convention
• Montreal protocol
• illegal logging

Question 9

• “Ensuring effective implementation of various environmental agreements is key to shaping a sustainable future”
• Roux Raath, WCO Environment Programme

Answer 9

• Operation PRAESIDIO; a wildlife and flora(INAMA Project)
• Operation THUNDERBALL; a WCO-INTERPOL joint operation on the illegal trade in wildlife
• Operation DEMETER V; control of transboundary shipments of waste, plastic waste, ozone depleting substances
• Operation SESHA III; illegal timber trade

Question 10

• “Shining a light on dangerous commodities”
• the Tariff and Trade Affairs Directorate, WCO Secretariat

Answer 10

• HS 2022 is the ‘greenest’ HS to date. Provide greater visibility in trade flows
• HS 2022 provides a new heading, 85.49, for electronic scrap and waste suitable only for disposal or recovery operations
• Kigali Amendment; new subheadings under heading 29.03, a new Note 4 to Section VI and new heading 38.27 were created, providing specific provisions for mixes containing gases that fell under the Montreal Protocol
• working closely with International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR)