GDVC Deputy Director-General Mai Xuan Thanh chairs the meeting. (Photo: HQO)
The information was highlighted during a meeting held on April 10
th to carry out preparations for the meeting.
Vietnam News Agency reported that the ASEM was officially set up in 1996 following the political initiative to foster dialogue and cooperation between Asia and Europe.
It provides an open forum for policy makers and officials to discuss any political, economic and socio-cultural issues of common interest. ASEM covers the full spectrum of relations between the two regions and devotes equal weight to political, economic and socio-cultural dimensions.
ASEM works on the three pillars of politics; economy and finance; and society, culture and education. Customs cooperation in ASEM is included in the economic and financial pillar, with priority on promoting the implementation of multilateral trade system in the World Trade Organization (WTO).
The ASEM Customs Directors-General and Commissioners Meeting has been organized biennially as a forum directing working groups to realize action plans in approved periods.
According to GDVC Deputy Director-General Mai Xuan Thanh, over the past years, customs cooperation in ASEM has focused on facilitating trade smoothness and supply chain security, fighting fake goods, realizing intellectual property rights, and protecting society and environment as well as partnership with businesses.
One of ASEM cooperation priorities in 2019 is cooperation in links, including policy links, sustainability links, trade and investment links, digital links, human links and links in coping with security challenges.
The activities aim to promote links between Europe and Asia in traffic infrastructure, energy, digital and human resources, minimization of obstacles for goods circulation and services, and promotion of trade and investment freedom
Vietnam’s hosting of the 13th ASEM Customs Directors-General and Commissioners Meeting will help reflect the country’s position and the role of customs in ASEM cooperation by proposing a customs cooperation orientation in 2019 and 2020./.