Although the Andean countries are members of the World Customs Organization (WCO), they have not yet adopted the International Convention on the Simplification and Harmonization of Customs Procedures (1999 Revised Protocol of Amendment to the Kyoto Convention).   

That Convention establishes uniform provisions on customs procedures that would contribute effectively to the development of foreign trade by making it possible to simplify and harmonize customs regimes and procedures more fully.  

Decision 618 was approved in July 2005, at the recommendation of the Andean Committee on Customs Matters, in order to incorporate the general annex and a reference to the specific annexes to that Convention into Community legislation.

In light of that step forward and with a view toward harmonizing customs legislation, regimes, procedures and inspection measures more fully, work is underway to approve a Decision on the Harmonization of Customs Regimes.