ASEAN Member Countries recognize the importance of customs cooperation to facilitate the flow of goods across borders in the region. Various measures are currently being implemented to simplify and harmonize customs aspects of trade. These measures include the harmonization of tariff nomenclature, customs valuation systems and customs procedures. In addition to this, the Fifth ASEAN Summit in December 1995 announced the implementation of a Green Lane System for CEPT products on 1 January 1996.
Objectives
The Green Lane System has the following objectives:
a) to reduce transactions costs to trade in ASEAN for CEPT products; and
b) to expedite the customs clearance of CEPT products.
What it Applies To
The Green Lane System applies to all CEPT products, i.e. products which qualify for CEPT concessions and have the requisite documentation. These documents referred to are the following:
a) CEPT Certificate of Origin (Form D); and
b) Other normal documentation required at customs (e.g. declaration forms, bill of lading, invoices etc.).
Products with at least 40% of their cumulative value originating from ASEAN Member Countries are eligible for the CEPT Certificate of Origin. For more information, refer to the Rules of Orgin for the CEPT and the Operational Certification Procedures for the Rules of Origin of the ASEAN Common Effective Preferential Tariff Scheme for the ASEAN Free Trade Area. Some of the information can be found in this volume and Volume 1 of the AFTA Reader.
What the Green Lane Entails
At present, the Green Lane systems of ASEAN member Countries differ. However, all these systems have the following, common elements:
a) it involves random checking/examination of CEPT products; and/or
b) the creation of a special lane/counter for consignments of CEPT products.
Some of these systems have already been in place and have merely been extended to cover all CEPT products. Given this special treatment, customs clearance under the Green Lane system is more expeditious compared to other products. The AFTA Unit in the ASEAN Secretariat is in the process of compiling a Guidebook on the respective Green Lane systems of Member Countries and shall be publishing it soon. Information on the respective Green Lane systerns of Member Countries can also be obtained from the National AFTA Units or the Customs Administrations of Member Countries.
Review Process and Future of the Green Lane
ASEAN Member Countries are currently reviewing their respective Green Lane systems in order to make further improvements to it. For the future, Member Countries will work towards establishing common elements in their Green Lane systems and ensuring transparency and uniformity of customs treatment to traders in the region.
