Last Updated on Saturday, 7 August, 2021 at 10:55 am by Andre Camilleri
Express Trailers today signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Malta Customs. This agreement, a first with a Maltese logistics company, is an initiative that will seek to establish a stronger working relationship between the two parties, laying down better procedures to be followed in relation to specific circumstances to ensure the best possible, efficient, and effective cooperation and assistance.
Through this MoU, Express Trailers and Malta Customs will cooperate and share resources related to security, compliance exercises and newly introduced procedures to further facilitate business activity, alongside effective enforcement measures. The agreement will also bind both sides to undertake simultaneous training particularly on the identification and handling of risks.
The MoU was signed today between Franco Azzopardi, CEO of Express Group and Customs’ Director General Joseph A. Chetcuti during his visit at the company’s premises.
“Criminal activity is becoming more sophisticated, and criminals increasingly look out for the weakest links. We simply do not want to be one of those weak links and therefore Express Trailers took the initiative to seek an MoU with Malta’s Customs Department,” said Franco Azzopardi prior to the signing of this agreement.
“This MoU not only shows the trust that Express Trailers enjoys with the highest authorities but also sends a clear and unequivocal message that our company will never compromise on its commitment towards good practice. Through this agreement with Malta’s Customs, we continue to set the bar in the industry while reaffirming our company’s high levels of control, transparency, and seriousness – qualities that have always defined Express Trailers,” added Franco Azzopardi.
Customs’ Director General Joseph A. Chetcuti stated that Customs Authorities within the European Union recognise that the Authorised Economic Operator programme as the epitome of partnership between the main authority at the EU borders and trade. However, this does not preclude any initiative that supplements the Authorised Economic Operator programme. Customs has already signed an MoU with two other private companies, but this is the first with a logistics company. He commended Express Trailers for this initiative, following the acquisition of an AEO status, describing this agreement as an important step forward in bringing the transport and logistics industry and Malta’s Customs on the same front against abuse and crime.
“Express Trailers, like all other logistics operators, has gone through its fair share of events, took stock of what happened in the past and was determined to improve its standards. We are highly respectful of this company’s commitment to quality in its push for a safer logistics sector against the threat of criminality.”
From its part, Express Trailers is binding itself to cooperate with Customs for further safeguarding the integrity of the supply chain, checking items that may need to be kept in ‘quarantine’, will submit a declaration of interest by employees and submit lists of any unclaimed goods left in temporary storage beyond the stipulated timeframe.
Express Trailers will also allow the Department of Customs to inspect any goods prior to release whereas the Department of Customs is committing itself towards inspecting unclaimed intra-community goods that will remain in possession of Express Trailers, prior to their disposal. The Department will also provide training to the personnel of Express Trailers to be better prepared to prevent and detect any abuse in the transportation of goods.
