Regional Intelligence Liaison Offices of the World Customs Organization

The Global WCO RILO Network was created to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of Customs enforcement around the world (see RILO brochure). The RILO programme is organized on three essential and complementary levels:

- Secretariat of the World Customs Organisation (WCO)
- Regional Intelligence Liaison Offices (RILOs)
- National RILO Contact Points (NCPs).

The RILO network consists of 11 liaising offices world-wide including offices in the Russian Federation (Commonwealth of Independent States), Poland (Central & Eastern Europe), Germany (Western Europe) and China (Asia & the Pacific).

We would like to encourage close cooperation between the National RILO Contact Points and Ozone Officers in order to address issues of illegal trade in ozone depleting substances and to promote customs cooperation.

RILO Commenwealth of Independent States (CIS)

The RILO network for the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) network is based in the Russian Federation and includes 9 countries. Out of these countries, 3 are also members of the ECA network and 4 are GEF-supported CEIT countries participating in selected activities of the ECA newtwork at their own costs:

- Armenia (temporary)*
- Azerbaijan**
- Belarus
- Georgia*
- Kazakhstan**
- Kyrgyzstan*
- Russian Federation
- Tajikistan**
- Uzbekistan**

* Article 5 countries which are member of the ECA network (3 countries)
** CEIT countries suppored by the GEF (4 countries)

The ECA network established close cooperation with RILO CIS and a framework agreement on cooperation between RILO CIS and UNEP has been signed (see RILO CIS – UNEP framework agreement).

RILO CIS organized its annual meeting of Heads of RILO National Offices in Astana, Kazakhstan, 12-13 September 2006. UNEP presented the Green Customs Initiative and Kyrgyzstan's Ozone Officer presented the outcomes of last year’s Trilateral Meeting on customs cooperation between China, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

The contacts of RILO CIS, Ozone and other MEA focal points have been shared and RILO CIS's information bulletins regularly inform on RILO CIS / UNEP cooperation. RILO CIS will participate in the ECA network meeting in Turkmenistan, 26.2.-2.3.2007.

RILO CIS's work plan for 2007 includes joint activities with the ECA network countries.

RILO Eastern & Central Europe (ECE)

The RILO network for Eastern & Central Europe (ECE) is based in Poland and includes 18 countries. Out of these countries, 8 are also members of the ECA network and 2 are bilateral partners supporting the ECA network:

- Albania*
- Bulgaria
- Croatia*
- Estonia
- Greece
- Hungary***
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Macedonia FYR*
- Moldova*
- Montenegro*
- Poland
- Romania*
- Serbia*
- Slovakia***
- Slovenia
- Turkey*
- Ukraine

* Article 5 countries which are member of the ECA network (7 countries)
*** Article 2 (developed) country supporting the ECA network (2 countries)

The coordination of the ECA network participated in their 11th RILO Annual Meeting of Heads of National RILO ECE Offices in Ankara, Turkey, 9-10 November 2006 and briefed the participants on environmental crime, Montreal Protocol, ECA network, Green Customs Initiative, Sky Hole Patching and the Study on Tracking System for ODS.

The meeting discussed possible cooperation between RILO ECE and UNEP and expressed interest in Green Customs activities. Following the meeting, the contacts of RILO ECE, Ozone and other MEA focal points have been shared and the “Guide for Enforcement Officers” was translated into Hungarian, Bulgarian and Estonian.

RILO Western Europe (WE)

The RILO network for Western Europe (WE) is based in Germany and includes 22 countries:

Germany
Andorra
Austria
Belgium
Cyprus
Czech Rep.
Denmark
Finland
France
Iceland
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Luxembourg
Malta
Norway
Portugal
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
The Netherlands
The United Kingdom

Regional Basel Convention Centre Bratislava

Case studies on Illegal Traffic in Hazardous Waste, which were presented during their regional meeting in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, 3-5 October 2006, can be found on the website of the Regional Basel Convention Centre in Bratislava.

Please see at the bottom of the following link: