20 March 2004	Saturday	28 Muharram 1425

ISLAMABAD, March 19: The ECO-Council of Heads of Customs Organization (CHCA) has finalized a draft agreement on the establishment of smuggling and customs offences data bank for fighting against these crimes.

Officials at the Central Board of Revenue told Dawn on Friday that the draft agreement would be signed during the 4th meeting of the CHCA to be held in Azerbaijan.

The officials said the data bank was aimed at providing revenue protection; accurate assessment of customs duties and other taxes collected at import and export stages; ensuring proper enforcement of measures of prohibition, restriction and control; to control the frequent occurrence of smuggling and customs offences due to unfavourable geographical conditions in the region.

According to the officials, with the help of the data bank centre, action against smuggling and customs offences could be taken more effectively by mutually supportive relationship between customs administrations via exchange of information among countries.

The bank would specifically provide information on the goods, events, persons, means, smuggling methods and the trends regarding the smuggling and customs offences that took place in the ECO region.

The centre, to be located in Ankara, would coordinate the efforts for creating, operating and updating a data-base; obtain information on recent or special concealment methods, trends and working techniques. The information will be kept in the data bank for at least five years.

In case of dispute between two or more members or between a member and the centre concerning the interpretation or application of this agreement, the parties concerned will consult and negotiate and if necessary, will submit the dispute to the ECO secretariat for consideration and appropriate action.