INFORMATION NOTE: Green Customs - Free Trade Zones, Trans-shipment and Multilateral Environmental Agreements
1. Free trade zones (FTZ) and trans-shipment operations are trade facilitation mechanisms designed
to enhance efficiency of trade and attract investment. Permitted operations within FTZ, including
trans-shipment, which can involve repackaging, relabelling, reloading, assembling and
manufacturing goods, combined with more relaxed procedures and limited oversight, can also
open doors for fraudulent activities. This is particularly concerning for trade in environmentally
sensitive commodities such as wildlife and timber products, hazardous chemicals and waste
including e-waste or plastic waste, which are governed by legally binding provisions of different
multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs), and related national laws.
2. This note aims to provide interested stakeholders with information on FTZ and trans-shipment in
the context of MEAs affiliated with the Green Customs Initiative (GCI). The GCI is a partnership of
international entities focused on strengthening the capacities of customs and border enforcement
agencies to promote compliance with trade-related MEAs and related national laws. The
document highlights potential risks related to the monitoring and enforcement of trade related laws
and regulations in FTZ and of trans-shipment operations and outlines existing mechanisms to
strengthen them to enhance compliance with MEAs. Read more...
INFOGRAPHIC: Green Customs - Free Trade Zones, Trans-shipment and Multilateral Environmental Agreements
ABOUT GREEN CUSTOMS
The Green Customs Initiative (GCI), launched in 2004, enhances the capacity of customs and border control officers to enforce and foster compliance to trade-related conventions, MEAs, and corresponding national legislation. GCI focuses on commodities such as ozonedepleting substances, toxic chemicals, hazardous wastes, endangered species, and livingmodified organisms.
The initiative is a forum for coordinated and cost-effective development of tools, delivery of training, and awareness-raising of customs officers and border control officers, through leveraging its partners’ resources and expertise. It complements and enhances existing customs training efforts under the respective agreements. For some of the MEAs involved, GCI is the structured means of interaction with the customs community.
For more information, contact:
Law Division
United Nations Environment Programme
P.O. Box 305521
Nairobi 00100 Kenya
E-mail: unep-greencustomsinitiative@un.org
Website: www.greencustoms.org
