Sub-regional Green Customs Initiative Workshop 23rd to 25th July 2007 for Indian Ocean developing island countries

Background

The Green Customs concept developed in 2001 by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) brings on one platform, several trade-related conventions for integrated training to Customs Officers to combat illegal trade.

As part implementation of the recommendation on combating illegal trade through the Green Customs Initiative concept, which emerged from the Meeting of Parties to the Montreal Protocol in 2005, Mauritius had successfully organized the first National Workshop on the issue with the collaboration UNEP in February 2006. 35 Customs Officers and focal points of different conventions have participated.

Since then, remarkable progress have been noticed as cases of illegal trade of equipment containing CFCs have been increasing reported by Customs Department of Mauritius Revenue Authority.

In view of effectiveness of the Green Customs Concept, Mauritius has taken the initiative to raise awareness on the subject at a wider sub-regional level to give a signal to traffickers targeting the island developing countries and share experiences among peers.

With the collaboration and financial as well as technical assistance from UNEP under the Multilateral Fund of the Montreal Protocol, Mauritius will be hosting the above workshop

Mauritius will be hosting the above workshop for Island Developing States in the sub Indian Ocean region from 23rd to 25th July 2007.

The main aim of this workshop is to build synergies among trade related conventions for combating and preventing environmentally damaging illegal trade and to promote cooperation between countries in the Indian Ocean region to better control their import and export.

Illegal international trade in environmentally sensitive commodities, such as, ozone depleting substances, toxic chemicals, hazardous wastes and endangered species, which will be topic of discussion during the workshop, is an international problem with serious consequences. It directly threatens human health and environment, contributes to species loss, and results in revenue loss of Governments. Consequently, it undermines the effectiveness of multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) by circumventing rules and procedures agreed in international treaties.

Training of Customs Officials through the Green Customs Initiative is an opportunity for international organisations and MEA Secretariats to work in partnerships across different issue areas. Previously, several workshops for customs officers in West Asia, the Caribbean, South Asia, South East Asia and East Africa sub-regions have been organised. This is the first workshop of the kind in the Indian Ocean island countries.

The countries that will be participating are Comoros, Madagascar,
Maldives, Reunion and Seychelles. Representatives of the
MEAs Secretariats, World Customs Organisation and other Green Customs Partner will also attend as resource persons.

The purpose of the workshop is to: -

(i) Creating awareness among customs officers on their role in enforcing MEAs;

(ii) Creating awareness among customs officers of each of the specific MEAs covered;

(iii) Present the trade aspects of each of these MEAs and the impact on customs officers;

(iv) Present the existing international setting for MEA enforcement (including MEA secretariats);

(v) Highlight interlinkages and possible synergies in enforcement of the various MEAs;

(vi) Encourage creation of links at the national level between key MEA enforcement stakeholders: customs officers, customs training institutes,

(vii) MEA national focal points, judges, prosecutors;

(viii) Encourage bilateral as well as regional dialogues on trade-related issues related to MEAs;

(ix) Present available resources for customs administration on MEA enforcement issues, particularly among international organisations involved in these issues.