ASEAN Businesses Push Customs Reforms to Boost Regional Trade and Digital Commerce

PHNOM PENH, June 5, 2026 (KPT) – ASEAN business leaders have urged sweeping customs reforms to ease trade, support small firms and strengthen the region’s fast-growing digital economy, officials said Thursday.

The proposals were tabled during a dialogue between the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) and ASEAN Customs Directors-General, held in Phnom Penh alongside the 35th meeting of the customs chiefs.

The session was attended by Kith Meng, President of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce and Cambodia’s representative to ASEAN-BAC, and chaired by Dr. Kun Nhem, Director General of the General Department of Customs and Excise of Cambodia.

ASEAN-BAC submitted a position paper recommending measures to improve trade facilitation and customs efficiency. Among the key proposals was streamlining procedures for restricted goods by eliminating duplicate registrations, inspections and licensing for products such as cosmetics, food, electronics and medical devices that already meet ASEAN standards.

The council also called for simplified customs processes for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), citing their vital role in regional growth.

To bolster digital commerce, ASEAN-BAC proposed harmonizing cross-border e-commerce data and adopting a vendor-collection tax model to improve consistency and compliance.

Business leaders further advocated for ASEAN Express Clearance Lanes under a regional framework to speed up customs processing and promote mutual recognition of Cross-Border E-Commerce Operators (CBEOs), a move expected to cut clearance times and accelerate the flow of goods across the bloc.