Institutions Sign a “Green Customs” Agreement

Institutions Sign a “Green Customs” Agreement
Santo Domingo, Domincan Republic 10/4/2011

Officials from the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, the Customs Office, the Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of the Navy have all signed an inter-institutional  cooperation agreement that will serve to strengthen controls on imports, exports and all transit related to multi-lateral environmental agreements.

The “Green Customs” initiative will function with the full cooperation of the World Customs Organizations, the International Police (INTERPOL), the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).

The agreement was signed by Environment Minister, Ernesto Reyna Alcántara; Rafael Camilo Abreu, Director General of the Customs Office; Bautista Rojas Gómez, Minister of Public Health; Salvador Jiménez, Minister of Agriculture and Vice Admiral Nicolás Cabrera Arias, Chief of Staff  of the Navy. The signing ceremony took place in the Ministry of Environment.

The “Green Customs” initiative will function with the full cooperation of the World Customs Organizations, the International Police (INTERPOL), the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).

The signatories of the agreement have stated they will coordinate actions involving the management of natural resources, species, organisms and dangerous substances in order to strengthen controls covering their importation, exportation and their international commercial transportation under strict observation of international commitments and valid environmental legislation.

It was also agreed to review legislation in order to clarify the functions and roles of each institution and to promote proposals that allow for the strict fulfillment of international obligations of the State with regard to environmental issues.

The signatory institutions, along with the Customs Office, have also committed to provide updated information that will contribute to developing high risk profiles in the areas of exportation and importation. They will also facilitate and provide training to strengthen the skills and knowledge of those working in the customs sector making them more adept at identifying problems having to do with the environment and to be able to come up with possible solutions.

Through this signed agreement, the Ministry of Environment commits to taking on a leadership role of the coordinating commission and to develop a plan of action jointly with the other signatory institutions to assure the successful implementation of the agreement.

Taking this into account and for the effective application of the measures and initiatives found in this agreement, the signatory institutions will also coordinate actions with the Ministries of Industry, Commerce, Foreign Relations and Labor as well as with the Dominican Prosecutor General´s Office, the National Commission of Nuclear Affairs, the Center for Exports and Investment of the Dominican Republic, the Armed Forces, the Port Authority, the General Office of Mining, the National Service for the Protection of the Environment, local governments and town halls and governments in provinces around the country that have airports.