New customs security standards to benefit exporters

A new secure trading relationship with the United States will benefit New Zealand exporters who comply with Customs-approved security standards, a visiting Customs head says.

The $20 million Supply Chain Security Strategy was implemented yesterday, and was initiated by the US following the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.

Initially it incensed exporters, who will face extra Customs charges to pay for tighter security, but in a change of stance the Government has agreed to provide some subsidies.

More detailed physical searches and up-to-date X-ray methods will be carried out on shipping containers, along with increased intelligence between US and New Zealand Customs services.

In New Zealand to witness the inception of the scheme, Assistant Commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection Keith Thomson today praised New Zealand's border control systems and said the new scheme was about streamlining rather than making changes.

It was part of the broader picture of a "global response to a global threat", and wasn't being forced upon anyone, Mr Thomson said.

Unlike US arrangements with other countries, New Zealand Customs service points did not include US customs representatives.

Instead, new technology meant that if suspicion was aroused, containers could be x-rayed before loading in New Zealand.

Images could then be sent immediately to the US and inspected by officials in that country, effectively in three-dimensional form.

Mr Thomson told NZPA the security strategy was initiated after the World Trade Center plane crashes.

"Nine-eleven was a defining moment in this."

The main threat was from terrorists and terrorist weapons, but if the new security measures lead to other illegal goods being intercepted it would be an additional benefit, Mr Thomson said.

A Secure Export Partners initiative has been included in the scheme, where exporters create their own systems to ensure a Customs-approved level of security in their packaging and loading practices.

About 25 Secure Export Partners have so far been accredited to the scheme, but about 100 more have applied to join, the New Zealand Customs Service says.

Mr Thomson said Secure Export Partners would get faster treatment, and in the event of a security scare and breakdown in the supply chain, their goods were likely to be accepted at US ports regardless.

Non-secure partners could not expect the same treatment.

Customs was confident 80 per cent of all exporters will have joined the scheme by the middle of next year.

Mr Thomson said the World Customs Organisation (WCO) was in the process of putting framework in place to establish a world-wide set of security standards in the export trade.

Taking into account both the physical and economic aspects of security, as well as the level of development of individual countries, a draft plan will be put to the private sector before going back to the WCO council next June.

- NZPA