On 14-15 September, around 25 Ministry of Commerce officials attended a one and a half day workshop on customs procedures and trade facilitation, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, and rules of origin. This workshop gave a general oversight into issues including Harmonised System (HS) Codes, preferential certificates of origin, customs valuation and SPS requirements.

The facilitator of the workshop was Mr Jonathan Koh, Managing Director of Singaporean firm Trade Facilitation Pte Ltd, a consultancy firm specialising in trade facilitation, trade policy and research. This workshop was a follow-up to a workshop held in May 2017 at the Ministry of Commerce on Understanding Issues for RCEP Negotiations.

The workshop was opened by H.E. Mr Sok Sopheak, Under Secretary of State, Ministry of Commerce. In his opening comments, H.E. Mr Sok Sopheak noted the challenges of the changing international environment, the rise of protectionism, and how the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) will provide a comprehensive free trade agreement that could positively impact the standard of living of Cambodian and other people in the region for the better. To make the most of this, the Ministry is pleased to benefit from technical assistance such as that provided through this workshop which is of particular help to younger negotiators and experienced negotiators and is looking forward for more cooperation with ERIA in the near future.

Jeremy Gross, Director of Capacity Building at ERIA, noted how such support was in-line with ERIA's overall mission to support the deepening of economic integration in the region, for example through its work on NTMs and the trade facilitation index it is currently developing.