Representatives of the World Customs Organisation visit Münster
Representatives of the World Customs Organisation visit Münster
Plans to expand the cooperation between the World Customs Organisation (WCO) and the University of Münster to include research
Prof. Dr. Hans-Michael Wolffgang, Director of the Department of Customs and Excise at the Institute for Tax Law, University of Münster, cordially received the Robert Ireland, Director of the WCO’s Research Unit, and his colleague Thomas Cantens. During the meeting, doctoral candidates of the University of Münster presented their research projects. Up to now, the University and WCO have only collaborated in relation to teaching; in future, the cooperation will also include research.
The Department of Customs and Excise is overseeing a number of research projects that are also of interest to the WCO. One such project is being carried out by Dr. Edward Kafeero. He is working on a study that is charting the development of the East African Community (EAC) from a customs union to a political union. The EAC is rich in minerals and has markets with great potential. Domestic and foreign investment is also growing. Dr. Kafeero states: “The first results of the study show that, within the partner countries of the East African Community, a considerable harmonisation of the applicable customs and commercial legislation is taking place. Moreover, much of this legislation is compatible with international customs and commercial law as well as certain conventions, such as the Revised Kyoto Convention.”
Other projects presented at the meeting concerned the development of the Eurasian Customs Union into an Economic Union; the security of the international postal supply chain; the WCO as an international organisation and, last but not least, trade simplifications in Chinese customs law.