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Strategic Plan

The Strategic Plan covers the period 2022-2027, which coincides with the conclusion of the 2017-2022 Strategic Plan.
OCO is forecasting changes in international movements and anticipates the following developments:

  • The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic which will endure for some time
  • Constantly evolving geo-political and socio-economic relationships impacting trade, including recent Chinese initiatives in the Pacific
  • Greater international harmonisation of systems, policies and protocols, including intelligence sharing
  • Increased workload for Customs
  • Increased volume and speed of movement of goods and people
  • Streamlining of Customs processes through digitisation and other mechanisms
  • Continuing increase in e-commerce
  • Enhanced data collection
  • Increased costs
  • Increased intelligence sharing
  • Emerging players in the shipping and goods movement industry
  • Enhanced capacity to track and monitor goods
  • Better cooperation between countries

OCO anticipates changes in the movement of illicit goods as follows:

  • Increased contraband movement (drugs, counterfeit goods, money laundering, smuggling)
  • Increase in new and innovative approaches by criminals to continue their illicit activities
  • Increasing evasion of duties and taxes
  • Increasing difficulty in detection of illicit goods due to increasingly sophisticated methods of concealment
  • Increase in cyber-enabled criminal activity, cybercrime and related threats

OCO will strive to take active steps towards future readiness which is critical to the success of the Organisation and its Members. This Strategic Plan sets out the actions required to achieve this.

Priority 1

Customs Leadership

Overall Objective: Enhance the Leadership capability to enable Customs’ modernisation reforms

Develop and strengthen Members’ leadership capabilities at executive management and supervisory levels

  • Strengthen the implementation of the current OCO Professional Standards Framework (OPSF).
  • Facilitate executive and management programmes with a continued focus on women in leadership
  • Develop mentoring and internship programmes and modules
  • Develop front line supervision training
  • Develop a train the trainer program
  • Provide ethics and governance training

Strengthen organisational development for the future

  • Conduct annual training needs analysis for individual Members
  • Facilitate and promote the use of relevant WCO and OCO E-learning modules
  • Develop a Gender Equality Plan for Customs
  • Policy and Legislative skill development
  • Develop a pathway to be a recognised accredited Customs training provider
  • Secretariat and Member engagement at regional and international forums.
  • Build and maintain a Customs Expert database

Strengthen succession planning

  • Development of executive and leadership courses for Member administrations
  • Conduct a regional workshop on Corporate Governance and Succession Planning for Member administrations

Priority 2

Law Enforcement and Border Security

Overall Objective : To enhance regional cooperation in compliance and border security. 

Enhance coordinated border management:

  • Enhance intelligence and enforcement information sharing capability amongst Member administrations
  • Strengthen coordination between border and law enforcement agencies ‘through joint policy and program development and joint operational exercises.
  • Command and control training
  • Multi agency Multinational desk top exercises on trans national crime.
  • Head of Law enforcement conference
  • Border Fundamentals Management Course ABF (Small Craft Search Course)

Strengthen intelligence-driven risk management capacity:

  • Risk management training to assist with profiling and targeting on suspicious trade and travel.
  • Training on Passenger Name Record (PNR) & API (Advance Passenger Information)

Combat transnational organised crime, including Cyber crime:

  • Promote the information sharing arrangement and encourage members collaboration
  • Coordinate and facilitate collaborations with law enforcement agencies to disrupt transnational organised crime
  • Improve law enforcement capacity on IPR border protection
  • Facilitate and develop the use of computer forensics
  • Encourage OPSCA use and develop expertise through training
  • Train members on the use of modern information sharing tools eg. OPSCA, PICs, IONICs, nComm and APAN
  • Maritime Domain Awareness Training
  • Delivery of CCES Enforcement Modules to achieve enhanced contemporary methods of regulatory compliance and enforcement.
  • X-ray Image training
  • Health and Environment Targeting operation on tobacco with WHO
    Z

    Priority 3

    Trade Management and Facilitation

    Overall Objective : To promote the facilitation of legitimate trade

    Modernise and harmonise Customs procedures and processes

    • Adoption by 5 additional members of the Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC) Gap analysis conducted on selected members to measure compliance with Customs related International Conventions and Standards
    • Assist members to address gaps identified.

    Support the implementation of regional trade facilitation initiatives

    • Support Members with the implementation of relevant regional trade agreements.
    • Conduct Time Release Study (TRS) on selected members
    • Support selected Members to implement the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) Programmes
    • Work with the regional partners to coordinate Customs’ initiatives in the region

    Promote Single Window environment (Single Desk should be considered for some)

    • Conduct awareness training on the Single Window framework and Tools
    • Awareness building on the option of the Single Desk concept

    Promote digital Customs including the facilitation of E-commerce

    • Review/assess Members’ Legal and Regulatory Framework to support E-commerce
    • Workshop on Cross-border E-commerce
    • Accelerate the implementation of the WCO Framework of Standards for Cross-Border E-Commerce.
    • Develop a template of simplified Customs Declaration (SAD) at FICs’ post offices, and interface with customs systems

    Develop the harmonised collection and analysis of trade data in Member administrations

    • Collaborate with regional and international partners on developing a common Customs trade database base on the Harmonised System
    • Harmonise extraction of Customs, trade data and statistics to assist analysis and policy decision making.

    Priority 4

    Revenue Management and Compliance

    Overall Objective: To promote fair and eficient revenue collection

    Develop and promote standard guidelines and tools on revenue collection

    • Promote and guide members on the implementation of the PACHS2022.
    • Valuation and Rules of Origin Training
    • Update relevant tools and guidelines on PCA for members use.
    • Conduct Train the Trainers on PCA

    Increase Customs and excise compliance and improve data analytical capability

    • Support the modernisation and alignment of excise processes and systems.
    • Develop Members’ capabilities on data analysis
    • Conduct awareness training on the non-tariff measures that complies with international convention.

    Enhance collaboration between Customs and Tax administrations

    • Implement joint regional Customs and Tax initiatives on common areas such as compliance, valuation and other revenue related areas
    • Develop information exchange mechanisms between Tax and Customs administrations

    Priority 5

    Institutional Strengthening of Small Member Administrations

    Overall Objective : Accelerate members’ compliance to international standards

    Modernise legislative and regulatory frameworks

    • Align legislation to Revised Kyoto Convention and other relevant international instruments.
    • Develop a Pacific Customs regional framework on the implementation of international Conventions

    Strengthen capability to manage Customs reforms

    • Support the enhancement of technical and management capability and institutions
    • Implement digital capacity to advance Customs modernisation
    • Regular dialogue with Small Islands members on  their needs.

    Strengthen capability to manage fair and efficient revenue collection

    • Support the implementation of PACHS2022 and subsequent amendments
    • Develop the capability of Members on application of the WTO Valuation and Rules of Origin
    • Develop the capability of Members to interpret and implement relevant legislation and regulations 

    Provide support to the roll out of ASYCUDA World

    • Collaborate with UNCTAD in the roll out of Asycuda to members countries.
    • Develop a sustainable plan for the Asycuda system for members

    * The definition and composition of the “Small Member administrations” category is reviewed at each Annual Conference as part of the consideration of the Membership Fee Structure.

    Note: Other objectives relevant to Small Member administrations are reflected in the other Priority Areas applicable to all Members.

    Priority 6

    Institutional Strengthening of the OCO Secretariat

    Overall Objective : To enhance governance and organizational performance of OCO Secretariat

    Efficient management of OCO financial resources (funding)

    • Review internal policy and procedures to reflect best practice.
    • Development of the OCO Secretariat Capability Framework (OSCF).
    • Develop a robust budget process
    • Develop a sustainable business continuity financing plan
    • Develop an asset maintenance policy

    Staff Development

    • Identify relevant professional development opportunities for staff.
    • Implement the OSCF with a view to be the employer of choice in the region. 

    Improving Visibility and Advocacy for OCO Members and Secretariat

    • Develop and strengthen the advocacy and communications strategy
    • Coordinate and facilitate implementation of the OCO Annual Conference decisions
    • Facilitate and coordinate regular dialogue between members and OCO at all levels

    Strengthen regional and international public and private stakeholder engagements

    • Promote regional coordination and cooperation in achieving Members’ priority national outcomes
    • Promote collaboration with regional and international partners organisations and donors on implementation of OCO strategic plans and work
      programmes

    Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Framework

    • Develop and strengthen the M&E Framework
    • Independent review of the M&E Framework
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