This week, a tripartite agreement was reached between U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and customs administrations in Guatemala and Colombia through a Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) meant to enhance trade and economic security.
The groundwork for this was laid last year when the Guatemalan and Colombian administrations agreed on a Joint Work Plan during the Trade Facilitation and Cargo Security Summit in Anaheim, Calif. This plan established a path toward MRAs between the two customs administrations’ Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) programs, committing them to the process.
The actual MRA showcases the security requirements or standards of the foreign industry partnership program and its verification procedures, aligning them with the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism program (CTPAT). It also provides a means for the countries to exchange membership information and recognizes the compatibility of their supply chain security programs.
“By cooperating with our regional partners through MRAs and other bilateral arrangements, we are able to create a unified and sustainable security posture,” Pete Flores, executive assistant commissioner for CBP field operations, said. “As a result, we are furthering our efforts to facilitate trade and enhance our economic security mission.”
This year’s progress was made at the 2023 iteration of the Trade Facilitation and Cargo Security Summit, which Debbie Seguin, U.S. assistant commissioner for international affairs; Marco Livio Diaz Reyes, superintendent of Guatemala’s Superintendencia de Administracion Tributaria; and Ingrid Magnolia Diaz Rincon, director for the Direccion de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales de Colombia, all attended.
Practically speaking, what this all means is that CTPAT and the foreign Customs Administration program have made and reached a joint set of security requirements for all to recognize the validity of others’ findings and make things smoother for both administrations and private sector entities. CTPAT is a voluntary public-private sector partnership program promoting close cooperation between key stakeholders of the international supply chain.