MANILA — The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states have signed an agreement to facilitate trade customs clearance, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) has said.

In a statement, the BOC said the customs agencies of the 10 ASEAN member states signed the Mutual Recognition Arrangement on Sept. 19.

A separate release from the ASEAN showed that the deal sought to "provide a predictable and transparent trading environment" among the member states.

The agreement was also in line with the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint 2025, the political and economic union said.

"To achieve a highly integrated and cohesive ASEAN economy, the [Mutual Recognition Arrangement] could potentially enhance trade by reducing regulatory burden and facilitating the movement of goods within ASEAN," the statement read.

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The BOC, meanwhile, said the deal would make sure that certification standards that ASEAN members' customs administrations apply through their respective Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) programs were compatible and in accordance with the World Customs Organization's (WCO) standards.

An AEO refers to an importer, exporter, customs broker, freight forwarder, or a transport provider accredited by BOC based on WCO and Revised Kyoto Convention guidelines.

BOC added that through the deal, ASEAN members' Authorized Economic Operator "will enjoy faster cargo clearance and priority treatment for cargo inspection for their goods traded within ASEAN."

"These benefits are expected to increase savings arising from improved predictability of cargo movement," it said.

Philippines, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore will begin the 6-month pilot implementation of the agreement by year-end once the countries finalize their domestic procedures, BOC said.

The countries aim to rollout the agreement's full implementation by the 3rd quarter of next year.

The other ASEAN member states will start their pilot implementation of the agreement by next year.

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