GCC authorized economic operator reduces clearance time at land, sea ports: Bahraini Customs

Bahrain’s Customs President, Shaikh Ahmed Bin Hamad Al Khalifa

Bahrain’s Customs President, Shaikh Ahmed Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, said that the GCC authorized economic operator (AEO) program, which launched in January, contributed to reducing clearance time at land and sea ports. This will in turn cut freight costs and will positively impact major companies, GCC factories and transport firms in the region.
 

Trucks currently work with a specified capacity, which will increase while transporting higher exports, Al Khalifa told Argaam in a statement on the sidelines of the Zakat, Tax and Customs Conference 2023, noting that this move will help the market and trade exchange recover through the AEO system.

He further stated that the trade linking and exchange between the GCC countries is through the movement of goods across the land borders, adding that after the program implementation, the time taken by the truck in the customs area to clear the goods is now much less to reach the final destination.

Al Khalifa also pointed out that the GCC authorized economic operator is based on the instructions issued by the World Customs Organization. 

The application of GCC AEO program in its integrated form began on January 1, and aims to facilitate import and export operations, as well as carrying out and accelerating customs clearance procedures. It also contributes to improving security and safety in the supply chain in regional and global trade, through concluding a partnership between customs departments and commercial facilities wishing to join the program, according to Argaam's data.