EAN to pilot WCO’s UCR on Australian meat shipments to U.S.

EAN to pilot WCO’s UCR on Australian meat shipments to U.S.    EAN International will initiate a pilot of the World Customs Organization’s unique consignment reference (UCR) number program on Australian meat shipments destined to the United States.
   For several years, customs administrations and industry officials have discussed the development of a UCR to link shipment information all the way back to the purchase order.
   The UCR is part of a global government strategy to simplify and standardize the electronic information needed by customs administrations to efficiently monitor exports and imports.
   UCR “promotes safe and secure borders by providing enhanced access to information at the time when goods are released by Customs,” the WCO said. “The UCR will help the various customs administrations along the supply chain to cooperate and offer authorized traders end-to-end premium procedures and simple integrated treatment of the total transaction.”
   The WCO Council adopted revisions to the 2001 UCR Recommendation to which EAN had contributed. “The revised UCR encourages participants in international trade to use ISO standard 15459, ‘The ISO License Plate,” for which EAN International is an issuing agency,” the WCO said.
   EAN, which is well known for its work in bar codes, numbering systems, and e-business messaging standards, will carrying out the pilot with the Meat and Livestock Association of Australia.