Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ABUDHABI1345
2003-03-19 14:09:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:
UAE FEDERAL CUSTOMS AUTHORITY STILL A WORK IN
how-tonull Diana T Fritz 05/24/2007 04:49:44 PM From DB/Inbox: Search Results Cable Text: UNCLASSIFIED SIPDIS TELEGRAM March 19, 2003 To: No Action Addressee Action: Unknown From: AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI (ABU DHABI 1345 - ROUTINE) TAGS: ECON, ETRD Captions: None Subject: UAE FEDERAL CUSTOMS AUTHORITY STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS Ref: None _________________________________________________________________ UNCLAS ABU DHABI 01345 SIPDIS CXABU: ACTION: ECON INFO: DCM POL P/M AMB Laser1: INFO: FCS DISSEMINATION: ECON CHARGE: PROG APPROVED: AMB: MMWAHBA DRAFTED: ECON: GARANA CLEARED: ECON: TEWILLIAMS VZCZCADI321 RR RUEHC RUCPDOC RUEHZM RUEHTU DE RUEHAD #1345 0781409 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 191409Z MAR 03 FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8957 RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC RUEHZM/GCC COLLECTIVE RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS 0490
UNCLAS ABU DHABI 001345
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/RA
AMEMBASSY TUNIS HOLD FOR FSI: OLIVER JOHN
USDOC FOR 4530/ITA/MAC/ONE/DGUGLIELMI,
4520/ITA/MAC/ONE/CLOUSTAUNAU,
4500/ITA/MAC/DAS/WILLIAMSON,
3131/CS/OIO/ANESA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD TC
SUBJECT: UAE FEDERAL CUSTOMS AUTHORITY STILL A WORK IN
PROGRESS
UNCLAS ABU DHABI 001345
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/RA
AMEMBASSY TUNIS HOLD FOR FSI: OLIVER JOHN
USDOC FOR 4530/ITA/MAC/ONE/DGUGLIELMI,
4520/ITA/MAC/ONE/CLOUSTAUNAU,
4500/ITA/MAC/DAS/WILLIAMSON,
3131/CS/OIO/ANESA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD TC
SUBJECT: UAE FEDERAL CUSTOMS AUTHORITY STILL A WORK IN
PROGRESS
1. (SBU) The Ambassador discussed the status of the
UAE's Federal Customs Authority (FCA) with Finance
Minstate Dr. Muhammad Khalfan bin Khirbash (the de
facto Finance Minister) on March 18. Dr. Khirbash
stated that while the legislation creating the Federal
Customs Authority has been passed -- and the authority
has even held its first meeting under the leadership
of the nominal chair, Hamdan bin Rashad Al-Maktoum
(the nominal Finance Minister) -- no federal customs
law has been enacted which would lay out with
precision the powers of the FCA. It had been agreed
by the individual emirates that the FCA would be
responsible for overseeing the collection of fees
resulting from the GCC Customs Union, and for
maintaining a UAE-wide list of products to be exempted
from these duties. But until legislation is passed
(most likely by June of this year),the FCA's powers
are very limited. Dr. Khirbash said it would take
several months after the passage of this implementing
legislation for the FCA to become fully effective.
2. (SBU) Comment: The UAE is strongly committed to
the GCC customs union but, because of its unique
confederal nature, faces distinctive challenges in
developing an effective federal structure to oversee
what is primarily, according to the UAE constitution,
an Emirate-level responsibility.
Wahba
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/RA
AMEMBASSY TUNIS HOLD FOR FSI: OLIVER JOHN
USDOC FOR 4530/ITA/MAC/ONE/DGUGLIELMI,
4520/ITA/MAC/ONE/CLOUSTAUNAU,
4500/ITA/MAC/DAS/WILLIAMSON,
3131/CS/OIO/ANESA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD TC
SUBJECT: UAE FEDERAL CUSTOMS AUTHORITY STILL A WORK IN
PROGRESS
1. (SBU) The Ambassador discussed the status of the
UAE's Federal Customs Authority (FCA) with Finance
Minstate Dr. Muhammad Khalfan bin Khirbash (the de
facto Finance Minister) on March 18. Dr. Khirbash
stated that while the legislation creating the Federal
Customs Authority has been passed -- and the authority
has even held its first meeting under the leadership
of the nominal chair, Hamdan bin Rashad Al-Maktoum
(the nominal Finance Minister) -- no federal customs
law has been enacted which would lay out with
precision the powers of the FCA. It had been agreed
by the individual emirates that the FCA would be
responsible for overseeing the collection of fees
resulting from the GCC Customs Union, and for
maintaining a UAE-wide list of products to be exempted
from these duties. But until legislation is passed
(most likely by June of this year),the FCA's powers
are very limited. Dr. Khirbash said it would take
several months after the passage of this implementing
legislation for the FCA to become fully effective.
2. (SBU) Comment: The UAE is strongly committed to
the GCC customs union but, because of its unique
confederal nature, faces distinctive challenges in
developing an effective federal structure to oversee
what is primarily, according to the UAE constitution,
an Emirate-level responsibility.
Wahba