Certifications

AEO PROGRAMME

AUTHORIZED ECONOMIC OPERATOR PROGRAMME (TIER 1, TIER 2 & TIER 3)

Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) is a Programme under the aegis of the World Customs Organization (WCO) SAFE Framework of Standards to secure & facilitate global trade. The Programme aims to enhance International Supply Chain Security and facilitate Movement of Legitimate Goods. Under this Programme, an entity engaged in international trade is approved by Customs as Compliant with Supply Chain Security Standards and granted AEO Status with Certain Benefits. AEO is a voluntary compliance programme. The Authorized Economic Operator Program was introduced as a pilot project in 2011 via circular on 23rd August 2011. The same was amended and the revised final AEO programme was introduced on 16th November 2012. Since the supply chain is controlled by the trade, the Customs administration is partnering the trade in order to secure the supply chain. The US started CT-PAT (Customs Trade – Partnership against terrorism) programme. Later WCO adopted SAFE Framework of Standards in 2005 in order to secure and facilitate the trade. The SAFE framework has three pillars comprising of Customs to Customs partnership, Customs to Business partnership and Customs to other Govt. stake holders. AEO programme is the core part of Pillar-II i.e. – Customs to Business partnership. This programme enables Customs administration to identify the safe and compliant business entity in order to provide them a higher degree of assured facilitation. Thus, the aim of AEO programme is to secure the international supply chain by granting recognition to reliable operators and encouraging best practices at all levels in the international supply chain. Through this programme, the Customs shares its responsibility with the businesses, while at the same time rewarding them with a number of additional benefits. It enables Indian Customs to enhance and streamline cargo security through close cooperation with the principal stakeholders of the international supply chain viz. importers, exporters, logistics providers, custodians or terminal operators, custom brokers and warehouse operators.