Revenue Chairman presents Authorised Economic Operator Certificates
Josephine Feehily, Chairman of the Revenue Commissioners, today (28/11/08), in Limerick, presented certificates to four companies who met the criteria for Authorised Economic Operator status.
The AEO is an EU wide programme for compliant and credible traders who meet certain standards and have adequate safety and security procedures in place. Having acquired AEO status, traders will be given specific benefits that designed to counterbalance the potentially negative effect of trade security initiatives introduced in the aftermath of “9/11”
AEO status is attributed according to uniform criteria in all 27 Member States of the European Community. The long-term intention is that, under mutual recognition agreements, an AEO in the EU may be recognised and given benefits in up to 166 countries worldwide. The EU Commission has already begun mutual recognition negotiations with the US, which introduced its own trader certification programme (C-TPAT) very soon after 9/11. The EU expects to conclude these negotiations sometime next year and this should result in Irish AEOs receiving preferential treatment when clearing their goods through US customs.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony Ms. Feehily said:
“Now, as never before, Ireland needs to focus on its exporting businesses and Revenue is delighted to work with Irish business to deliver the benefits of the AEO programme. I would like to congratulate Irish Express Cargo Ltd., based here in Limerick, Medtronic Vascular Galway Ltd., Medtronic Ireland Manufacturing Ltd., and Organon Ireland Ltd. on attaining AEO status. These are leading edge companies that reflect the broad range of industries operating in Ireland today. I would like to commend you on meeting the challenging criteria laid down under the programme. You will now be recognised as safe and secure partners in international trade and will benefit in the future from mutual recognition agreements concluded with third countries”.
Note for Editors:
The first four Irish companies to receive the AEO designation are:
Irish Express Cargo Ltd. was established as a general freight forwarder in 1972. In the 1990’s, the company expanded into specialist warehousing services, providing technology driven logistics solutions to major corporations. In 2000, Irish Express Cargo Ltd. was acquired by Flextronics International Ltd. Logistics systems provided by Irish Express Cargo Ltd. are now in use by Flextronics at warehouses all over the world.
Medtronic's operations in Ireland comprises Medtronic Vascular Galway Ltd. and Medtronic Ireland Manufacturing Ltd. Medtronic is the world's leading medical technology company, providing lifelong solutions for people with chronic disease. Every five seconds, somewhere in the world, a person's life is saved or improved by a one of their products or therapies. Medtronic's Galway site is a centre of excellence for the development and manufacture of a number of the company's key medical technologies for the treatment and management of cardiovascular and cardiac rhythm disease. Today over 2000 people are employed in Ireland with most of the company's employees working at the state-of-the-art facility in Galway and over 100 dedicated to research and development.
Organon Ireland Ltd. is involved in the pharmaceutical business and has established a worldwide reputation in gynaecology and women’s health products and also in anaesthesia, central nervous system and fertility. The company was acquired by Schering-Plough in 2007.
About the AEO Designation
The AEO programme is primarily a trade facilitation measure. Operators established in the EU, that meet specific qualifying criteria, may apply for and receive AEO certification. The aim of the AEO programme is to enhance security through granting recognition to reliable traders and encouraging best practice at all levels in the international supply chain.
When all parts of recent EU security measures are introduced, traders will face a number of additional burdens, such as a requirement to provide data to Customs in advance of the movement of goods. The AEO Programme seeks to identify trusted members of the global supply chain and, where possible, to limit any adverse impact from these new initiatives. Internationally, all of the major trading nations have begun to introduce similar security measures and the AEO concept, through mutual recognition, will eventually be extended worldwide.
The status of AEO is open to all operators involved in activities covered by Customs legislation, and who meet the required standards in relation to their general compliance record, logistical and control systems, financial solvency and security and safety systems. It is intended that operators having AEO status will be recognised worldwide as safe, secure and compliant business partners in international trade and will be given a lower risk score in risk analysis profiling systems.
[Ends 28/11/08]