Communications and Information Technology Commission Receives Certificate of Merit from the World Customs Organization (WCO)

The Communications and Information Technology Commission received the 2013 Certificate of Merit issued by the World Customs Organization (WCO), in recognition of the role it plays, along with a number of other entities, in strengthening communication and information-sharing mechanisms implemented by the Saudi Customs Department with its partners in customs work in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The certificate was received by Eng. Abdullah bin Abdulrahman Al-Mubdil, Director General of Technical Standards and Numbering at the Commission, from His Excellency Saleh bin Mani Al-Khalyawi, Director General of Saudi Customs, during the ceremony held this year under the theme "Communication: Sharing Information for Better Cooperation," organized by the General Customs Department on Sunday in Riyadh in celebration of International Customs Day, which falls on January 26 each year.

With the aim of facilitating customs clearance procedures and expediting data exchange between the Commission and all customs ports, the Commission introduced a pre-clearance procedure enabling all suppliers of telecommunications and IT devices in the Kingdom to apply for a clearance permit for devices and equipment that comply with the Commission's technical specifications and regulations, from a customs port, before those devices and equipment arrive at the Kingdom's ports.

The Commission also prepared and published technical specifications covering most applications in the field of telecommunications and IT, and made them available to everyone on the Commission's website, www.cst.gov.sa, free of charge.

It is worth noting that the Commission cooperates with the Saudi Customs Department in several areas, the most important of which are: verifying devices' conformity with approved technical specifications, completing customs clearance procedures for conforming devices, and coordinating on the review and updating of customs tariff codes for telecommunications and IT devices, in addition to facilitating the procedures for importing telecommunications and IT devices into the Kingdom. The Commission is also working with the Department to implement an integrated electronic system that will help enable suppliers to submit clearance applications without needing to visit the Commission or any of its branches.