The bilateral Customs Assistance Agreement was signed
by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury and
US Ambassador Robert Wood Johnson today at a signing
ceremony at the US embassy in London.
The agreement will allow customs authorities to
continue to cooperate, including sharing data, to
tackle customs fraud, maintaining the current strong
relationship between US and UK Customs authorities.
Financial Secretary to the Treasury said:
This is an important agreement that ensures
continuity post EU exit, and demonstrates the
strength of the US-UK customs relationship.
This deal will allow us to continue to cooperate in
combatting customs offences by sharing information
and good practice, and provides the legal
underpinning for schemes to ease trade flows for
importers and exporters.
US Ambassador Robert Wood Johnson said:
Every single day, the U.S. and the UK work side by
side to stop criminals trafficking illegal goods
across the Atlantic - from guns, to drugs, to illegal
wildlife products and even counterfeit medicine.
This Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement means that
after Brexit, our investigators can keep sharing
information to stop criminals in their tracks and
keep people in both our countries safe.
It will also provide the legal basis for the Authorised
Economic Operator Mutual Recognition Arrangement, which
will ensure that people and businesses will continue to
benefit at their respective borders.
The Authorised Economic Operator scheme is an
internationally recognised quality mark allowing a
business customs benefits at the border, in recognition
that its role in the international supply chain is
secure and that it meets international standards on
customs control procedures.
