The 33^rd meeting of the Special Working Group (SWG) on Customs Cooperation of the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization took place in the city of Dushanbe (the Republic of Tajikistan) on April 24, 2018.

The representatives of customs services of Russia, India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and the SCO Secretariat took part in the meeting.

The participants discussed the issues pertaining to the creation of a unified transit system, a closer cooperation in the area of intellectual property protection and customs control after the release of goods. The SWG approved drafts of the SWG Provisions on Customs Cooperation, the Regulations of Information Cooperation between 24-Hour Contact Points, the Memorandum of Exchange of Information on Transborder Trafficking of Ozone-Depleting Substances and Hazardous Waste.

The participants supported the proposal to involve one of the SCO’s public platforms – the SCO Business Council – in SWG activities as an advisory and consultative body. The representatives of customs services are hopeful that this form of cooperation will allow developing the more effective measures that would serve the interests of both customs services and business.

The next meeting of the SWG on Customs Cooperation is scheduled to take place in the Russian Federation in August 2018.

Our reference: Since 2004, the Special Working Group on Customs Cooperation operates under the jurisdiction of Council of Foreign Trade and Economy Ministers of the SCO Member States. The Group’s main objective is to coordinate activities of customs services of the SCO Member States in priority areas of customs activity.