WCO, PSW collaborate to align national trade data with international standards

KARACHI: The Pakistan Single Window (PSW), in collaboration with the World Customs Organization (WCO), successfully concluded a significant five-day training event in Karachi.

Held from August 19 to 23, 2024, the workshop was a key initiative in PSW’s broader strategy to enhance its international footprint and strengthen collaboration with global partners and was designed to build the capacity of PSW’s Domain and Technical Teams by aligning their practices with the WCO Data Model guidelines.

The training focused on bringing Pakistan’s trade data standards in line with international frameworks, a crucial step for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of cross-border trade operations. By adhering to international data standards on cross-border trade, the initiative aims to streamline customs and trade procedures by harmonizing data requirements of Customs and Other Government Agencies and enhancing the interoperability of the single window system for facilitating integration with other national and international electronic systems. By enabling use of harmonized data sets and electronic messages, the model meets the operational and legal requirements of Customs and other government agencies (OGAs). This comprehensive approach to data standardization is essential for harmonizing national customs processes with global best practices.

The sessions were led by WCO-accredited trainers, including Mr. Christian Lembke, Lead Customs Officer of Cargo Risk Management at the Customs Office Frankfurt am Main Airport, Germany, and Mr. Tagara Primadista, Head Section of Revenue and Data Management, Indonesia. Office of the Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the WCO facilitated the coordination between WCO and PSW for organizing the training workshop. Participants from PSW’s Domain and Technical Teams received detailed, hands-on training in implementing the WCO Data Model. Speaking at the event, Mr. Naveed Abbas Memon, Chief Domain Officer of the Pakistan Single window said that “Holding this training workshop in Pakistan underscores PSW’s commitment to adopting international standards and modernizing Pakistan’s trade and customs infrastructure.

PSW is currently supporting Pakistan Customs and the Government of Pakistan in several regional initiatives on establishing electronic connectivity with the customs/single window systems of partner countries including China, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan and has successfully demonstrated its capacity for electronic data exchange with international systems and platforms.