The Facilitation Committee (FAL) is a subsidiary body of the Council. It was established in May 1972 and deals with IMO's work in eliminating unnecessary formalities and "red tape" in international shipping. Participation in the Facilitation Committee is open to all Member States of IMO.  The United States is represented on the FAL Committee by the Coast Guard. The Head of Delegation for FAL is the Coast Guard's Chief of the Office of Standards Evaluation and Development, Mr. Duane Boniface.  Details on schedules for FAL are available at http://www.uscg.mil/imo/fal.

Current IMO FAL Work

Currently, 3 Intersessional Correspondence Groups (ISCG) plan to submit reports to FAL 38.  The ISCG topics, U.S. points of contact (POC), and links to more information are below. 

Comprehensive review to the Annex of the Facilitation Convention (Coordinated by France)

Overview—The FAL Committee initiated at FAL 35 a comprehensive review to the Annex of the Facilitation Convention to ensure that it adequately addresses the present and emerging needs of the shipping industry, as well as to modernize its provisions.  The review will take into account developments in the field of transmission of data by electronic means and the Single Window concept. 

The U.S. POC is Mr. David Du Pont. 

More information about this ISCG is available at this link:

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/cg523/imo/fal-iscg-1.asp

Electronic access to certificates and documents (Coordinated by the U.S.) 

Overview—The FAL Committee reiterated at FAL 35 its view that online access to certificates and documents required to be carried on board ships was still a long-term objective.  At FAL 37, the FAL Committee re-established the Correspondence Group on Electronic access to certificates and documents, under the coordination of the United States, to continue the work on acceptance of electronic access or electronic versions of certificates and documents, including validation of certificates and documents. 

The U.S. POC is Mr. Roger Butturini. 

More information about this ISCG is available at this link:

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/cg523/imo/fal-iscg-2.asp

Supply Chain Security and Recovery (Jointly coordinated by Canada and the U.S.)

Overview—The FAL Committee at FAL 37 established the Correspondence Group on Ensuring security in and facilitating international trade by means of guidance on measures toward enhancing maritime trade recovery related to the global supply chain system and maritime conveyances. 

The U.S. POCs are CAPT Andrew Tucci and Mr. Ryan Owens. 

More information about this ISCG is available at this link:

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/cg523/imo/fal-iscg-3.asp

 

 

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Last Modified 10/12/2012