Manama:Shaikh Ahmed bin Hamad Al Khalifa, President of Customs, has awarded Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) certificates to four companies. This initiative is part of Customs Affairs' strategy to streamline international trade and boost economic growth by strengthening partnerships with the private sector.
According to Bahrain News Agency, the companies that received the certificates include Hydro Building Systems Middle East W.L.L., Delmon Poultry Company B.S.C., BASF Plastic Additives Middle East W.L.L., and BFS W.L.L. These companies met the stringent compliance requirements for customs procedures and regulations, as specified in the Customs Affairs GCC Authorised Economic Operator Programme Guide, aligning with the World Customs Organisation's Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade.
The GCC Authorised Economic Operator Programme provides certified companies with a variety of benefits designed to save time and reduce costs by expediting customs procedures and decreasing cargo release times. Companies in the programme benefit from facilities offered by several government regulatory authorities through service-level agreements, as well as international trade facilitation measures under mutual recognition agreements with other countries, including reduced rates of physical inspections and faster customs clearance.
The programme is a unified voluntary initiative across GCC member states. Companies interested in joining can apply through the single-window system, OFOQ 2, which aids in the assessment and auditing process to ensure compliance with all programme requirements.