Customs Procedures and Practice: Course Overview

Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:

• be able to demonstrate an informed understanding of the role of customs and their environment;

• be able to critically assess the challenges faced by customs in the delivery of their services;

• be able to demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the policy responses of government to customs issues;

• be able to analyse, interpret and practically apply international (principles and best practice) and national developments affecting border integrity and security applicable to their own customs jurisdiction;

• be able to demonstrate an understanding of the impact of international organisations, treaties and conventions on their own customs jurisdiction; and

• be able to identify and articulate solutions to selected issues and problems in the customs context and communicate the results to others.

Each week will require approximately twenty hours work which will include your in class and reading requirements as well as your related research, presentation and assessment preparation.

Below you will find a Study Schedule. This shows the dates by which you are expected to have completed the various topics, and the dates by which you are required to have completed the assignments and presentation delivery.

This subject will be delivered concurrently with the complementary subject CUS410 Customs Field Education – Practice.

The term "Customs Procedures" has a wide connotation. It is meant to describe all the treatments applied by Customs to imported and exported goods and other Customs practices that cover the rules in place to regulate matters related to the Customs treatment of imported and exported goods. Underpinning our study of Customs procedures is the International Convention on the Simplification and Harmonization of Customs Procedures (as amended) which is more commonly known as the Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC) and the World Customs Organization (WCO) Time Release Study.

The RKC is the key international treaty which endeavours to eliminate divergences in customs practices and procedures around the world that otherwise might hamper international trade and particularly, the facilitation of that trade. We will be referring to the best practice established by the RKC regularly across the subject.

The curriculum in this part of the subject (Modules 1 to 4) is internationally focused, that is we will study the various Customs procedures from an international perspective, largely guided by the RKC, and we will not be concentrating on the Customs procedures in any one country.

At the same time for examples of legislation and operation procedures we will draw from a wide range of Customs administrations.

During Week 4 students will research their own operational practice and prepare a research and development plan for their portfolio with selection rationale, research approaches and milestones. In Weeks 5 to 8 students will prepare and lodge their first set of practice statements/critiques. During Weeks 9 to 13 students will prepare a further set of practice statement/critiques and commence work on their final presentation.

In this part of the subject students will enhance their presentation techniques and study ways in which they may present information in a professional manner, imparting knowledge while demonstrating and applying the techniques and methods commonly used in organizations and businesses. Students will deliver their presentation and lodge the further set of finalized practice statements/critiques to complete their portfolio.

Your final portfolio will be a combination of both the practice critiques of this subject and the practice statements which you will develop in your complimentary subject CUS410 – Customs Field Education – Practice