The Director General of Royal Malaysian Customs Department, Dato’ Sri Khazali bin Ahmad representing the Government of Malaysia signed a Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) on Authorized Economic Operators (AEO) programs between the Government of Malaysia and the Customs Administration of Japan on Friday (27th June 2014) at the World Customs Organization’s (WCO) headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. Signing the MRA on behalf of the Customs Administration of Japan is Mr.Yutaka Miyauchi, the Director General, Customs and Tariff Bureau, Ministry of Finance, Japan.
The MRA signing ceremony was held in conjunction with the WCO 123rd/124th Sessions of the Customs Co-operation Council which take place at the WCO headquarters from 26th to 28th June, 2014 and was witnessed by the WCO Secretary General, Mr. Kunio Mikuriya.
The purpose of the MRA is for each participant to accept the validation and approval status granted to Members of the other AEO program. The mutually recognized AEOs will then enjoy substantial, comparable and where possible reciprocal benefits/facilitation provided by both participants of the MRA.
Malaysia started its AEO program in January 2010 and to date there are 49 companies which have been granted the AEO status comprising importers, exporters and manufacturers. The MRA with the Customs Administration of Japan is the first MRA on AEO signed by Malaysia.
