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  4. CBP Executive Elected WCO Committee Chairman

CBP Executive Elected WCO Committee Chairman

Release Date
Tue, 01/18/2011

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Customs and Border Protection Laboratories and Scientific Services Executive Director Ira Reese was voted into his fourth term as chairman of the World Customs Organization's Scientific Subcommittee. Reese's fourth term as chairman follows four terms as vice-chairman of the subcommittee. The two-year term begins this month.

"It continues to be an honor to serve the World Customs Organization as the Scientific Subcommittee Chairman," said Reese. "The WCO is an important trade organization and together with CBP shares the common responsibility of securing and facilitating global trade."

The scientific subcommittee of the World Customs Organization acts as an advisory body of the council on questions involving engineering, chemical or other scientific matters. In practice, the subcommittee acts under the instruction of the council or any of its committees or subcommittees and it reports back to these WCO bodies. It also serves as forum for the exchange of views by the customs laboratory services of council members.

The World Customs Organization is the only intergovernmental organization exclusively focused on customs matters. With its worldwide membership, the WCO is now recognized as the voice of the global customs community. It is particularly noted for its work in areas covering the development of global standards, the simplification and harmonization of customs procedures, trade supply chain security, the facilitation of international trade, the enhancement of customs enforcement and compliance activities, anti-counterfeiting and piracy initiatives, public-private partnerships, integrity promotion and sustainable global customs capacity building programs.

The WCO also maintains the international harmonized system goods nomenclature, and administers the technical aspects of the WTO Agreements on Customs Valuation and Rules of Origin.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021