I have worked with the Brazilian Federal Revenue Authority (Receita Federal), The Federation of Brazilian Industry (CNI) and Procomex the last four years.

This week we had an evalaution work shop of this landmark projact and ended the project. All phases of the AEO Brazil project are kow ended and the programme is fully transferred to Receita Federal operations.

This is the most advanced and modern AEO and Trusted Trader programme in the world and there are amazing operational results both for Government, but more importantly for the private sector.

This has been an extra ordinary project, one of the best projects I have ever worked in.

The project team has been absolutely outstanding. Maybe the best project team I ever worked with. Many people have been involved in the project, but there have been a core project group leading the project all the way through. We have come a very long way together.

This week I took the team out for a farewell dinner at restaurant Figueira Rubaiyat, and we had a very emotional and amazing evening together.

These are fantastic people, professionals, colleagues and friends.

Obrigado for everything; Virginia Medeiros, Elmo Braz, Fabiano Deniz, Elaine Costa and John Mein.

It has been än honor and pleasure to work with you.

AEO Brazil is implemented. It is the most advanced AEO/Trusted Trader programme in the world including a very strong benefit list and a number of innovative facilities.

It is the first programme in the world being designed as integrated Government concept giving a Single Government AEO Status, opem for all Government agencies – starting with the Agriculture agency, through one process.

More than 150 companies are now AEO and another 160 are in the application process.

We are now also starting to see the measured results.

At the international AEO Brazil conference in Sao Paulo, Carlos Abijaodi, Director of the Confederation of Brazilian Industry (CNI), presenting a study that release of goods for AEO Brazil companies has been reduced from 39 hours to 3.6 hours. Great results!

In addition, several AEO companies testified about amazing results, like; saving 12-17 days in avarage in the supply chain due to AEO Brazil.

This week I was in Brazil to speak on the Annual Allianca Procomex conference on AEO Brazil. The theme of this year was “AEO programmes in South America” and regional programmes.

These are always amazing conferences, it was the 4th time the event was arranged.

More than 350 people attended the conference this year, despute being held in Xmas week. Previous years it has been the week before.

Under-Secretary Ronaldo Medina from Receita Federal, opened the conference with a passionate speech about AEO Brazil.

The AEO Brazil programme is now, after 4 years, entirely moved to operations and tjis week we closed the AEO project after four years. An emotional moment.

Dr. Enrique Canon, Chairperson of the World Customs Organization (WCO) and Director of Uruguay Customs såoke about AEO in the 182 Member States of WCO and its importance for the world economy and the trade supply chain, Dr. Canon is a very good speaker.

Dr. Ernani Checcucci, Director of Capacity Building of the WCO – and my old colelague and very dear friend – spoke on all WCO initiative on AEO and the upcoming WCO Global Conference (WCO AEO IV) in Kampala in March 2018.

I delivered a Key Note Speech on AEO Trends and Regional AEO Programmes including AEO EU and the regional AEO programme of the East African Community (EAC) plus how a regional orogrammebin South america can be developed and implemented,

Brazil and Bolivia signed a cooperation agreement for support in the AEO area.

I also chaired panel on Private Sector views of AEO in five countries; Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile and Uruguay.

it was great to meet all conference participants, colleagues and friends again. So many prople expressed their gratefulness over the work I and KGH have done in Brazil supporting the design, development and implementation of the revolutionary AEO Brazil.

I was really moved by all wonderful words. Obrigado!