Imagine the arteries of global trade congested, goods stranded at customs, businesses bleeding losses, and consumers waiting in frustration. How can these trade blockages be cleared to enhance customs efficiency and make global commerce flow more smoothly? The World Customs Organization (WCO) is addressing this challenge through a crucial initiative: training specialized Technical Operational Advisors (TOAs) proficient in Time Release Study (TRS) methodology to help national customs authorities optimize processes and accelerate cargo clearance.
WCO's Capacity-Building Initiative
To boost global customs efficiency, the WCO hosted a TOA certification workshop for French-speaking customs officials at its Brussels headquarters from April 25-29, 2016. Focused on TRS methodology, the event was sponsored by Japan's Customs Cooperation Fund (CCF-Japan) and brought together representatives from all six WCO regions. This initiative forms part of the WCO's strategic effort to develop more experts who can assist member states in conducting TRS analyses to streamline customs procedures and enhance trade facilitation.
Workshop Objectives and Content
The intensive program aimed to:
- Master TRS Methodology: Provide comprehensive training on TRS organization, objectives, challenges, opportunities and future directions to give participants complete command of implementation techniques.
- Certify New Experts: Identify promising candidates through rigorous evaluation for further training and field experience, ultimately expanding WCO's pool of certified TOAs.
- Enhance Global Customs Performance: Equip certified TOAs to help member states identify and resolve procedural bottlenecks, improving clearance efficiency and international trade flows.
Evaluation Framework
Participants were assessed against four key criteria:
- Proficiency with WCO tools and standards including the Revised Kyoto Convention and SAFE Framework
- Technical expertise in customs management, trade facilitation and data analysis
- Ability to support member states in TRS preparation and implementation
- Capacity to represent WCO effectively in high-level discussions with customs leadership
The Critical Role of Time Release Studies
TRS serves as a diagnostic tool measuring the duration from cargo arrival at borders to final release. By analyzing the entire clearance process, TRS pinpoints efficiency bottlenecks and provides actionable improvement recommendations. Beyond optimizing internal customs procedures, TRS fosters collaboration between government agencies and private sector stakeholders to enhance trade facilitation.
Key TRS benefits include:
- Identifying procedural choke points like document review, physical inspections or tax payment delays
- Quantifying performance metrics including average clearance times, inspection rates and release percentages
- Developing targeted process improvements such as workflow optimization, document simplification or technology adoption
- Monitoring the impact of implemented reforms through periodic follow-up studies
Implementation Methodology
Effective TRS execution follows six key phases:
- Scope definition and objective setting
- Data collection from customs systems, business declarations and direct observation
- Analytical processing using statistical, procedural and root-cause examination
- Improvement plan development with measurable, achievable actions
- Implementation with progress tracking
- Results evaluation and continuous refinement
WCO's Strategic Leadership
The WCO drives TRS advancement through:
- Developing international TRS standards and guidelines
- Providing technical implementation support
- Delivering specialized training programs
- Facilitating cross-border knowledge sharing of best practices
Building a More Efficient Trade Future
The successful workshop candidates who passed initial certification will participate in WCO technical missions to complete their TOA qualification. Once certified, these experts will support global capacity-building activities, helping construct more resilient trade networks where goods move faster and more securely to benefit economies and consumers worldwide.
Through initiatives like this TOA training program, the WCO continues strengthening its TRS capabilities to help members build more prosperous global trade systems. As more customs administrations adopt TRS methodologies, international commerce will become increasingly efficient, transparent and secure.