REPORT OF THE FORTY SECOND

ASEAN SENIOR TRANSPORT OFFICIALS MEETING

(42nd STOM)
Manila, Philippines, 14-15 November 2016

Extracts Related to ASEAN Customs Transit System (ACTS)

Preparation for the implementation of ASEAN Customs Transit System (ACTS)

Pilot
Para 71: On the preparation for the implementation of ASEAN Customs Transit
System (ACTS) Pilot, the Meeting noted that due to the delay in linking the ACTS
software with the Pilot Countries system, the timeframe for ACTS Pilot Testing
would be shifted to November 2016 April 2017 from original schedule of July
December 2016, with the following phases:
System Only phase in November mid December 2016;
Parallel Run phase in January February 2017;
Live Run for the trucks starting early March 2017; and
ACTS Launch in April 2017.

Para 72: The Meeting noted that ACTS Pilot Countries are in the process to
identify transport operators and to issue ASEAN Goods Vehicle Cross-Border
Permit and further requested competent authorities of the respective ACTS Pilot
Countries to provide the list of the selected transport operators to ASEAN
Secretariat by 30 November 2016 for the input to the ACTS software and to issue
the Permit to transport operators for ACTS Pilot Testing before the Parallel Run
phase starts.

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the Operationalisation of the Pilot

Project for the Implementation of ACTS
Para 73: The Meeting noted the Summary Record of the 2 nd Meeting in
Finalising the draft MOU on the Operationalisation of the Pilot Project for
Implementation of ACTS which was held on 22 September 2016 at ASEAN
Secretariat attended by representatives from three (3) ACTS Pilot Countries,
which appears as ANNEX 25. The Meeting also noted presentation from ASEAN
Secretariat for some possible recommendations on the way forward, which
appears as ANNEX 26. In particular, the Meeting noted the following:
(i) Confirmation from Malaysia and Singapore that the signatories of the MOU
would be their respective senior officials from transport agencies and for
Thailand it would be its Director-General of Customs;
(ii) Singapore and Thailand have provided comments to the draft MOU and
Malaysias comment would be provided after its domestic consultations;
(iii) Proposed inclusion of the provisions in the draft MOU stating that the
designated Transit Transport Routes (TTRs) and the Frontier Posts

Page 1 of 3
 stipulated in the Annexes of MOU would be reviewed by the Participating
Member States after the ACTS post implementation review.
(iv) Malaysias position which is ready to proceed with the MOU provided that
Thailand agrees to reconsider their position (a) to include Bangkok as the
point of destination/departure in the ACTS Pilot and (b) to allow empty
Malaysian-registered (un-laden) transport vehicles issued with ASEAN Good
Vehicle Cross Border Permit (Permit) to start ACTS operation from
Thailand for delivery to Singapore.
(v) Affirmation from Thailands National Transit Transport Coordinating
Committee (NTTCC) on its decision to allow Sadao Customs House as the
point of departure and destination. Thailand would like to assess the
outcome of the ACTS pilot, including safety and security aspects, before
reconsider Thailands position on the point of departure/destination.
(vi) Singapores suggestion for the MOU to be a non-legally binding document
among the Participating Member States noting that the AFAFGIT Protocols
1, 2, and 7 are not yet fully ratified and therefore the MOU should not pre-
empt the commitments of the ASEAN Member States as stipulated in those
protocols.
Para 74: The Meeting noted information from ASEAN Secretariat that the aim of
the MOU is to facilitate the implementation of ACTS Pilot Testing and therefore it
should not be too much constrained by the status of its legality and the legal
procedures to finalise the MOU. ASEAN Secretariat also informed the Meeting on
the end of timeline of ARISE support by May 2017, and therefore, efforts must be
done to complete the ACTS Pilot Testing before this date.
Para 75: With regard to the issue on the point of departure and destination in
Thailand to be included in the ACTS Pilot, the Meeting requested both Malaysia
and Thailand to continuously discuss to resolve this issue and provide updates
on the outcomes of their bilateral discussion to ASEAN Secretariat by early 2017.
Para 76: Noting the importance of the MOU for the ACTS Pilot, the Meeting also
urged Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore to reach common understanding and
solution on the pending issues for timely signing of the MOU on the
Operationalisation of the Pilot Project for the Implementation of ACTS before the
ACTS Live Run phase.

Preparation for the implementation of ASEAN Customs Transit System (ACTS)

Pilot
Para 82: The Meeting took note on the preparation and development for the
ACTS Pilot, particularly the completion of the Operating Guidelines of ASEAN
Goods Vehicle Cross Border Permit and the ACTS Manuals for Transport
Officials and for Principals and Transporters.

The establishment of Central Management Team (CMT) of ACTS

Para 83: On the establishment of Central Management Team (CMT) of ACTS,
the Meeting noted that the proposal has been endorsed ad-referendum by the

Page 2 of 3
ATM as well as the relevant ministries involved and that the approval from the
Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN (CPR) to include the CMT
in the ASEAN Secretariats Annual Operational Budget (AOB) 2017 has been
received. The Meeting looked forward to the operationalisation of ACTS and the
CMT.

Page 3 of 3