A century of Cf

The abbreviation Cf stands for the Latin words confer and conferatur, meaning ‘compare’. By definition, conferatur instructs the reader to compare one thing with another. But, of course, I wouldn’t presume to instruct you to do anything – assuming, of course, that you have paid to read this column. If you are reading this for free, well, consider yourself instructed. Instructed to do what, you may ask? Other than subscribing, that is – although the second part of that will follow shortly.

In five days’ time, if you are reading this piece on its date of publication, the International Convention Relating to the Simplification of Customs Formalities will celebrate its centenary. This convention is undoubtedly one of the most overlooked ‘modern’ customs documents. Have you ever heard of it? Think carefully before answering too quickly, for you might confuse it with the International Convention on the Simplification and Harmonisation of Customs Procedures. This latter convention, also known simply as the Kyoto Convention, was adopted on May 19, 1973, and entered into force on September 25, 1974.

Do not confuse the Kyoto Convention with the Kyoto Protocol, an international treaty that extended the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which committed State parties to reducing greenhouse-gas emissions based on the scientific consensus that the globe’s temperature is increasing and that human-made CO2 emissions are driving it.

Regarding the confusion with the Kyoto Convention, you are likely thinking of the International Convention on the Simplification and Harmonisation of Customs Procedures (as amended), which is known as the Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC) and entered into force on February 3, 2006. The RKC is considered to be the “blueprint for modern and efficient customs procedures in the 21st century”.

Let us rewind to November 3, 1923, when the League of Nations was still in existence – remember it? The league’s secretariat registered the International Convention Relating to the Simplification of Customs Formalities, which entered into force on November 27, 1924. Interestingly, the Union of South Africa ratified the convention on August 29, 1924, and, coincidentally, so did the British Empire, but the Empire’s ratification did not apply to the Commonwealth of Australia, the Dominion of Canada, and India, as well as the territories of Iraq, the Irish Free State, Nauru and Sudan.

The League of Nations, founded on January 10, 1920, by the Paris Peace Conference, following the ending of WW I – on November 11, 1918 – is considered to be the first worldwide intergovernmental organisation with the principal mission “to promote international cooperation and to achieve international peace and security”. The League of Nations is no longer in existence. Its operations ceased on April 18, 1946, when it was succeeded by the United Nations. Incidentally, WW II ended on September 2, 1945.

Fast-forwarding to today, you would be hard-pressed to find anything remotely new in the International Convention on the Simplification and Harmonisation of Customs Procedures (as amended), which is claimed to be “the blueprint for modern and efficient customs procedures in the 21st century.”

The RKC elaborates on several fundamental governing principles, chief among them transparency and predictability of customs actions; standardisation and simplification of goods declaration and supporting documents; simplified procedures for authorised persons; maximum use of information technology; minimum necessary customs control to ensure compliance with regulations; use of risk management and audit-based controls; coordinated interventions with other border agencies; and partnership with the trade.

The RKC promotes trade facilitation and effective controls through its legal provisions that detail the application of simple, yet efficient, procedures. The World Trade Organisation’s Trade Facilitation Agreement entered into force on February 22, 2017.

As for the instruction, you should have the RKC on hand as a regular reference. There are now 137 contracting parties, with Honduras having become the latest contracting party to the convention on June 29, further expanding international participation in the agreement.

Were you confused by the column’s title? Cf refers to customs formalities, of course.