A new version of WCO SAFE is adopted

At the June 2021 WCO Council Session a revised edition of the SAFE Framework of Standards was adopted.

The new version includes provisions to strengthen co-operation between Customs and Other Government Agencies; promote smart security devices to optimize Customs control and effectively monitor the movement of goods in a real-time basis; and develop regional Customs AEO.

WCO states: ’Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, to bolster the resilience and recovery of global supply chains, the “AEO Implementation and Validation Guidance” was developed by upgrading the three current documents “AEO Implementation Guidance”, “AEO Template” and “Customs AEO Validator Guide”. The new Guidance brings together the best practices, knowledge and lessons learned from Members in order to simplify the AEO implementation process and align the AEO requirements with Customs validation processes. It also introduces a suggested approach to virtual re-validations and the use of modern technologies to support business continuity and to ensure the resilience of the AEO programmes during a pandemic’.

Also, a new review cycle has commenced, which will see the next iteration of SAFE being published in June 2024.

You can find the new version of the SAFE Framework of Standards, here: WCO SAFE 2021