| AEO Trade Compliance |
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As a result of the terrorists attack at the Twin Towers of 9/11, security protocols have never been as high on the agenda as they are today. Shippers transporting goods to, for example the US, will nowadays be confronted with intensified customs control. One means to avoid this, is opting for the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) status, as this will result in a smoother collaboration with the customs authorities. The AEO status is granted by the local customs authorities after completing a self assessment by the logistics party and an audit by the customs authority. The ultimate goal is that all parties in the supply chain are recognized as AEO as this means that the entire supply chain is controlled. This depends on the willingness of companies to opt for the AEO status, as it is not compulsory to obtain the AEO status. In the self assessment, the company should depict areas of risks and provide appropriate countermeasures. IT systems play a crucial role in obtaining AEO status. All relevant information is stored in the IT systems of the company and this data must at all times be secured and access should be limited to authorized staff only. In this respect the interfaces with the various supply chain partners should not be neglected; sharing data electronically is very important to ensure efficiency in the supply chain. This does however increase the security risk. One way of ensuring this needed IT governance is managing the systems via CobIT or ITIL standards. This can be an important criterion in selecting your system providers.
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