The World Customs Organization (WCO), under the sponsorship of the Customs Cooperation Fund (CCF) of Korea, organized a Revenue Package National Workshop for the Eswatini Revenue Authority (SRA) on the development of an Advance Ruling System for Classification, Origin and Valuation. This Workshop was conducted in Ezulwini, Kingdom of Eswatini, from 8 to 12 April 2019.  Nine Customs officers worked intensively during the workshop facilitated by two WCO Technical Officers.

Being a follow-up mission to a national and a sub-regional mission held on the same topic of Advance Rulings in 2016 and 2017, the Workshop focused on further developing the legislation and procedures for the implementation of the advance rulings programme, as set out in the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement.

During the Workshop, the participants worked on three main action points stemming from the action plan developed during the workshop in 2017: further developing the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for the Advance Rulings to guide internal officers, drafting a guideline to sensitize and guide the external stakeholders for their easy understanding and active use of the programme, and drafting an outline of the Advance Rulings Committee or other independent body to fairly address potential disputes and different views regarding the Advance Rulings.

Further, informal discussion was held on various classification, origin and valuation related topics raised by the participants, which would help them address the actual problems encountered in the field.

The outputs and knowledge gained from the Workshop will assist the Eswatini Administration in implementing the Advance Rulings programme, and consequently, in facilitating its trade.