GS1 and Customs

Unleash the Power of GS1 Standards in Customs

In 2007, GS1 and the World Customs Organization (WCO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), recognizing their common business interests and providing a framework for further cooperation. 

One major GS1/WCO initiative is to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of Customs administrations around the globe by:

  • Setting global standards to facilitate cross-border trade.
  • Securing the global supply chain.
  • Facilitating legitimate trade.

How can GS1 support Customs?

GS1 and its worldwide Member Organisations (MOs) can help Customs by:

  • Increasing their visibility of products as they travel throughout the global supply chain to international borders.
  • Enabling them to seamlessly interoperate by sharing electronic information with other government agencies, industry and each other.
  • Improving their authentication procedures to verify products and players in the supply chain as genuine and legal.

Using GS1 Standards, Customs organisations can make quicker decisions, efficiently managing products through cross-border clearance. They can improve risk management practices, increasing security and safety for consumers.

Implementation

The following initiatives demonstrate how GS1 MOs working with Customs/government agencies and industry can unleash the power of GS1 Standards in the Customs clearance process. Customs organisations can benefit from improved efficiencies, significant cost savings and greater security.  

The Business Case for Using E-Commerce Data to Manage Product Admission at International Borders

"With greater visibility into product shipments, inspectors can make quicker and confident decisions. They can better manage the risk of imports for citizens and speed products through points of entry for industry."

- Doug Bailey, Chairman, Product Information Committee, U.S. International Trade Data System

In the U.S., three pilots focused on toys, flowers, and meat and poultry uncovered that GS1 Standards could produce clear benefits for government, industry and consumers, e.g., a reduction in the volume of toys subject to Customs examination by 75% or more. To learn more, read “The Business Case for Using E-Commerce Data to Manage Product Admission at International Borders,” at www.itds.gov.

SSCC as UCR Pilot Project 

UCR project description (choose from content below and take a quote from the brochure) 

In the SSCC as UCR Pilot Project, wine and spirit producers, Customs administrations and GS1 Member Organisations in the UK and Australia launched a proof-of-concept pilot to test whether the GS1 SSCC was suitable for Customs as the UCR. As a follow-on from this pilot, work was launched to develop a new GS1 identifier − the Global Shipment Identification Number (GSIN) − with the aim of fulfilling the requirements of the UCR, which could be used by Customs authorities to identify shipments subject to import or export processes. Read more about the SSCC – UCR Customs Project brochure at www.gs1.org/customs.

APEC and ABAC Forum

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is a government-to-government forum that works to promote sustainable economic growth in the Asia-Pacific region. It is comprised of 21 “member economies” from the entire Pacific Rim. APEC created the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) to collaborate with industry in developing priorities and recommendations for APEC policies. 

A major APEC target is to decrease supply chain costs in the Asia-Pacific region by 10% by 2015. A priority for APEC and ABAC is to establish an environment for the secure and efficient movement of goods across borders. ABAC studies on supply-chain choke points demonstrate that one key factor causing inefficiencies (delays) and costs, especially across borders, is the lack of supply chain connectivity. GS1 Standards for traceability and interoperability can enable supply chain connectivity. GS1 MOs are engaging with their APEC government representatives and ABAC business representatives to partner with them in the adoption of GS1 Standards in support of the APEC/ABAC priority of supply chain connectivity.

Read more about APEC and ABAC at www.apec.org.