WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/VAL/W/79
14 November 2000
(00-4816)
Committee on Customs Valuation Original:  English
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES
Australia
The following communication, dated 7 November 2000, has been received from the
Permanent Mission of Australia and describes customs related technical assistance provided to
developing countries by Australia since 1996.
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Australia’s Trade-Related Technical Assistance Activities
Australia has an active program of technical assistance, cooperation and policy dialogue with
developing countries aimed at, amongst other aspects, improving their capacity to administer WTO
agreements. For many years, Australia has provided technical assistance in relation to implementationof the Customs Valuation Agreement as well as related to assistance for improving and strengthening
customs procedures and administration.
The Australian Customs Service is also co-coordinator for three activities on the Asia – Pacific
Economic Cooperation (APEC) Sub-Committee on Customs Procedures Collective Action Plan(CAP) relating to: UN/EDIFACT, Common Data Elem ents and Risk Management. As co-coordinator
for these activities, Customs has participated in various technical assistance missions and site visits to
a number of economies. Customs expertise has also been sought in the delivery of technical assistance
for other CAP items including implementation of the: Harmonised System;
Valuation Agreement; and Provisions for Temporary Importation.
The following provides details of the assistance in two categories. The first is assistance that relates
directly to the Agreement on Customs Valuation where Australia has provided valuation experts for
delivering capacity building assistance, for APEC, WCO and ASEAN organised programs. The
second category relates to capacity building and strengthening of the customs management systems
more generally, including valuation-related elements.
Technical Assistance for Customs Valuation
25-28 March 1996 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
Workshop on Customs Valuation
Lombok Island, Indonesia
14-27 June 1996 Valuation consultancy with Philippines Government  (United Nations
Office for Project Services)
Manila, Philippines
13-17 January 1997 WCO Valuation Regional Seminar
Ho Chi Minh City, VietnamG/VAL/W/79
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25-31 October 1997 APEC Technical Assistance Program
Jarkarta, Indonesia 
1-5 December 1997 APEC Sub Committee on Customs Procedures Technical Assistance
Program Preliminary Workshop Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
6-14 December 1997 APEC Sub Committee on Customs Procedures Technical Assistance
Program Preliminary Workshop Manila, Philippines
8-12 December 1997 APEC Sub Committee on Customs Procedures Technical Assistance
Program Preliminary Workshop Malacca, Malaysia
15-21 October 1998 WCO Regional Valuation Training Course
South Korea
20-27 February 1999 APEC Sub Committee on Customs Procedures Technical Assistance
Program Module 1 (on Complexities of the Valuation Agreement)
Indonesia
22-26 February 1999 APEC Technical Assistance Program Phase 6
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
24 June -6 July 1999 APEC Sub Committee on Customs Procedures
Technical Assistance Program WorkshopHanoi, Vietnam
21-25 February 2000 APEC Sub Committee on Customs Procedures Technical Assistance
Program Module 3 (on Post Implementation Verification)
             Hanoi, Vietnam
8-12 May 2000 APEC Sub Committee on Customs Procedures Technical Assistance
Program (Module 3)
Jakarta, Indonesia
12-16 June 2000 WCO Regional Seminar of the WTO Valuation Agreement
Iran
Technical Cooperation for Customs Administrations
Year
CommencedYear (to be)
CompletedProject Description Budget (A$)
1996 1996 Customs Tariff Review Project, Kiribati 0.06mil
1996 2000 Customs Institutional Strengthening Project,
Fiji3.8mil
1996 2002 Revenue Department Technical Capacity and
Skills Development, Tonga2.3milG/VAL/W/79
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1997 1997 Customs Inquiry Advisor, Fiji 0.04mil
1997 2000 Regional Customs Project (implemented by
UNCTAD), South Pacific6.6mil
1997 2000 Customs Department Management and
Technical Strengthening Project, Samoa3.4mil
1997 2004 Establishment of Revenue and Customs
Authority and capacity and skills
development in Dept of Inland Revenue, Fiji7.1mil
1998 1999 Customs and Excise Division Institutional
Strengthening and Reform Project, Solomon
Islands6.6mil
2000 2000 Assist UNTAET establish Customs
procedures and services and train local staff,
East Timor0.7mil
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