BRUSSELS—Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg, and the European Union Eduardo José A. de Vega deposited the Philippines’s Instrument of Accession to the Convention on Temporary Admission (Istanbul Convention) at the headquarters of the World Customs Organization (WCO) in the Belgian capital on January 17.
The convention is a customs procedure to bring goods, intended for re-exportation within a specified period and have not undergone any change, into the territory of a party to the convention for a specific purpose with total or partial relief from import duties and taxes.
Secretary-General Kunio Mikuriya accepted the document on behalf of the WCO, and expressed his best wishes for the Philippines. The ceremony was preceded by a meeting between both officials, where they discussed how easier customs facilitation benefits not just the Philippines, but also its economic partners such as the Asean.
Filipino-owned businesses attending trade fairs and exhibitions in territories which are parties to the convention are among those expected to benefit as it takes effect for the Philippines on April 17, making the country the 73rd contracting party.