WCO Mercator Programme diagnostic assessment conducted for Curaçao Customs

At the request of the Curacao Minister of Finance, in collaboration with the Head of Curaçao Customs, and with funding support from the Netherlands Ministry of the Interior, the WCO conducted a holistic diagnostic support mission in Willemstad, Curaçao, during the period 4 to 13 March 2024.

The mission focused on the overall reform and modernization agenda, particularly Curaçao Customs' contribution to the implementation of effective trade facilitation measures in accordance with international standards and best practices, such as the WCO Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA).

The activity was conducted under the framework of the WCO Mercator Programme and included discussions with the Head of Customs, the Customs senior management team and relevant Unit Heads, along with representatives from the public sector and the Curaçao business community.

Through active engagement with all stakeholders, the WCO team was able to comprehensively assess the situation within the Customs administration regarding the effective implementation of trade facilitation measures, identifying some specific areas where further capacity-building and technical assistance support is required.

In collaboration, a multi-year (MY) Mercator Implementation Plan was developed that contains a series of recommendations, activities and key performance indicators that will form the basis for future actions. The Mercator Implementation Plan will also facilitate enhanced engagement with government partner agencies and private sector stakeholders involved in trade facilitation reforms.

Curaçao Customs and the WCO team also worked together and conducted a Mercator Maturity Model assessment that provides an important baseline against which future trade facilitation implementation progress can be effectively measured and reported.

For more information, please contact [email protected].