18–19 December 2025, Luang Prabang, Lao PDR

The Twinning National Ozone Officer-Customs Workshop on Strengthening Enforcement of Trade Control of Controlled Substances under the Montreal Protocol was held from 18 to 19 December 2025 in Luang Prabang, Lao PDR. On behalf of WCO Asia/Pacific Regional Office for Capacity Building (ROCB A/P), Mr. Jaemin Cho, Program Manager and Ms. Grace Ye, Program Manager, participated in the workshop to support regional cooperation.​

Bringing together Customs officials and National Ozone Officers from across the region, the workshop provided a platform to review trade control mechanisms under the Kigali Amendment and the Montreal Protocol. Key sessions addressed the importance of effective licensing systems, data reporting, and the implementation of specific HS codes for controlled substances in the AHTN 2028.

Participants engaged in practical working groups focused on enhancing risk profiling management to target ODS/HFC shipments. Discussions also covered the transboundary movement of used controlled substances and their linkages with the Basel Convention, emphasizing a lifecycle approach to refrigerant management.

As part of the capacity-building session, Mr. Jaemin Cho presented ROCB AP’s ongoing efforts in capacity building, including the Green Customs Initiative. The session highlighted ROCB A/P’s commitment to multilateral operations and workshops focused on enforcement related to environmental issues and risk management, thereby enabling Customs administrations to respond effectively to emerging trends in illegal environmental trade.

The meeting concluded with recommendations for strengthening regional information exchange and interagency coordination. ROCB A/P expressed its sincere appreciation to UNEP OzonAction, the WCO Secretariat, RILO A/P, and the Lao PDR Customs for their collaboration in making this workshop a success.

For more information, please contact: rocb@rocbap.org.