Trade integration contributes substantially to economic development and poverty alleviation. In recent years much progress was made to liberalize the trade regime, but customs procedures are often still complex, costly and non-transparent. This situation leads to misallocation of resources. 'Customs Modernization Handbook' provides an overview of the key elements of a successful customs modernization strategy and draws lessons from a number of successful customs reforms as well as from customs reform projects that have been undertaken by the World Bank. It describes a number of key import procedures, that have proved particularly troublesome for customs administrations and traders, and provides practical guidelines to enhance their efficiency. The Handbook also reviews the appropriate legal framework for customs operations as well as strategies to combat corruption.

This paper outlines reforms that have been achieved in the modernization of the customs administrations of francophone sub-Saharan (African) countries since the mid-1990s. It also highlights the remaining issues in this process. Progress has been made in the automation of operations and procedures, with constant and significant efforts to strengthen revenue collection and improve trade facilitation in a number of countries. However, the pace and scope of modernization remains insufficient, particularly in developing customs control and enforcement capacities, and enhancing operational resources and management. The findings suggest that the authorities’ strong commitment to reform, organizational and management changes, adequate technical assistance and project management, and effective implementation of modern customs standards, are critical to accelerate the modernization of customs in francophone sub-Saharan Africa.

In order for the ideal of international trade to become reality, customs procedures dating back centuries must be eliminated and replaced with modernized practices designed to foster cooperation and efficiency in world trade. The International Customs Modernization Process (ICMP), detailed in this remarkable book, will do just that. With the aid of modern technology and business practices, nations and industries will benefit through improved enforcement of customs, more streamlined trade of goods, and overall growth of economies. The ICMP is an 11 step process that begins by improving the fundamentals. It then outlines three enabling processes and concludes with implementation and integration of the process and a vision of the promised future.

A companion to the 'Customs Modernization Handbook', this book provides case studies on customs modernization initiatives in seven countries: Bolivia, Morocco, Mozambique, Peru, the Philippines, Turkey, and Uganda. The initiatives in each of these countries show similarities as well as differences in their approach and design. Some have relied on a model of independent revenue authorities (Uganda and Peru), others have called upon private sector service providers to initiate the modernization process (Mozambique), others have taken the drastic step of a complete overhaul of their customs staff (Bolivia and Mozambique), others introduced new information technology to streamline customs processes and to integrate other members of the trading community into an electronic network (Ghana), while still others have approached the modernization process as a pragmatic, well-focused, result-oriented process.

Reviews the Customs Service's (CS) management of the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE), including whether CS has adequately justified ACE cost-effectiveness. CS plans to spend over $1 billion on ACE, which will support modernized import processing. CS is not managing ACE effectively & it does not have a firm basis for concluding that ACE is cost-effective. Makes recommendations for strengthening the management & technical weaknesses it has identified. Serious weaknesses relating to architectural deficiencies, investigative management, & software development & acquisition were found that must be corrected before further investment in ACE is justified. Charts & tables.

Distributed to some depository libraries in microfiche.