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Customs Cooperation Council

Summary of Customs Cooperation Council

An international organization established for the purpose of harmonizing the customs procedures and techniques of member countries. The agency is concerned with the mechanics of customs administration and is not involved in matters relating to tariff levels or similar substantive economic policy questions. The council is the product of various post-World War II efforts to address the problems of international trade. It is the direct descendant of a study group formed in 1947 to examine the possibility of a European customs union. Efforts toward the establishment of a customs union were impeded by numerous economic and political problems; nevertheless, the study group successfully advanced three international agreements: the Convention on Nomenclature for the Classification of Goods in Customs Tariffs (Brussels Tariff Nomenclature [q.v.1); the Convention on the Valuation of Goods for Customs Purposes (Brussels Definition Of Value [q.v.]); and a convention establishing a permanent Customs Cooperation Council, to be based in Brussels, to aid in the integration of customs procedures. All three conventions were signed at Brussels on December 15, 1950; the first meeting of the council took place on January 26, 1953. The council meets annually and consists of representatives of each member state.

While the Brussels definition of value has been largely supplanted by the Customs Valuation Agreement (read this and related legal terms for further details) arising from the Tokyo Round of trade agreements, the council provides a technical committee to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (read about the GATT for further details), or GATT, to ensure uniformity in the application of GATT valuation rules. In addition, the council provides secretariat services for implementation of the 1972 Customs Convention on Containers, and orchestrates training programs for customs officials from developing nations.

(Main Author: William J. Miller)

Customs Cooperation Council (CCC) in relation with International Trade

In the context of trade organizations, Christopher Mark (1993) provided the following definition of Customs Cooperation Council (CCC): A multilateral organization headquartered in Brussels, in which customs officials from participating countries meet to simplify and standardize customs procedures and techniques of member countries. The organization is concerned with the mechanics of customs administration and is not involved in matters relating to tariff levels or questions of trade policy. The CCC provides a technical committee to GA 1T to ensure uniformity in the application of GATT Article 7 and other rules concerning customs valuation (Sec. I). The Harmonized System (Sec. I)was negotiated in the CCC. See also Kyoto Convention (Sec. I).