U-Freight lauds Luxor resolution on cross-border e-commerce

January 4, 2017: The Hong Kong-headquartered U-Freight Group (UFL), has welcomed the recently-signed Luxor Resolution by the World Customs Organisation (WCO) on cross-border e-commerce. The company which has considerable involvement in e-commerce logistics believes that it will help shape this rapidly evolving sector of global trade.

Simon Wong, CEO of the UFL Group, says, “We are pleased that the WCO Policy Commission (PC) has adopted the Luxor Resolution, which outlines the guiding principles for cross-border e-commerce addressing eight critical aspects. Notably Advance Electronic Data and Risk Management; Facilitation and Simplification; Safety and Security; Revenue Collection; Measurement and Analysis; Partnerships; Public Awareness, Outreach and Capacity Building; and Legislative Frameworks.

“These issues are fundamental to helping Customs and other government agencies, businesses, and other stakeholders in the cross-border e-commerce supply chain to understand, coordinate and better respond to the current and emerging challenges.”

According to a release from the company, U-Freight has been showing its commitment to addressing the issues enshrined in the Luxor Resolution during the development of its logistics services for the e-commerce market.

In respect of cross-border e-commerce in China, the company has already been qualified by China Customs and CIQ as a licensed cross-border e-commerce enterprise, as well as a cross-border e-commerce logistics service provider.

In regards to advance electronic data and risk management, U-Freight has a system that can connect e-commerce/e-shop platforms with relevant customs authorities and also delivers data transparency.

In the area of outreach and capacity building, U-Freight has committed to investing in developments at a number of its warehouses around the world to better equip them to handle the logistics associated with the ever-growing global e-commerce business.

Simon Wong added, “The exponential growth of e-commerce, in particular new trade patterns including the growth in direct business-to-customer (B2C) and even consumer to consumer (C2C) transactions and an increased role of consumers in individual transactions, is presenting several challenges to governments and businesses alike, in terms of trade facilitation, safety and security, society protection, and accurate and efficient collection of duties and taxes.

“In our development of e-commerce logistics solutions, we are continually trying to address the key issues stemming from increasing volumes of mainly B2C e-commerce shipments and the time sensitivity thereof, which pose unique challenges to all e-commerce stakeholders under the current conditions."

U-Freight shares the opinion of the WCO secretary general, Dr Kunio Mikuriya that the adoption of the Luxor Resolution will help establish an e-commerce framework of standards and associated operational /implementation plans, with timelines, to support the development of cross-border e-commerce further, whilst efficiently addressing the challenges that arise.