On 01 December 2023, the World Customs Organization (WCO) advised that the Partnership of International Organisations for Effective International Rulemaking (IO Partnership) had concluded its 10th Annual Meeting on 29 November 2023 at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Headquarters, marking a decade of collaborative efforts among diverse international organisations (IOs). This milestone event aimed to define common priorities for the future, emphasising the crucial role of international cooperation in addressing emerging global challenges.
Over the past ten years, the IO Partnership has served as a catalyst for bringing together IOs with diverse mandates to share challenges and successful experiences related to international instruments. The result is a wealth of evidence and guidance encapsulated in the Compendium of International Organisations’ Practices for Effective International Rulemaking. (www.oecd.org/governance/better-international-rulemaking/compendium/) This repository of knowledge has been instrumental in shaping quality international rulemaking, fostering a legacy of cooperation and inclusiveness.
The first day's sessions underscored the paramount importance of trust in international rulemaking. The discussion delved into the erosion of trust in institutions and the importance of transparent communication and accountability to ensure shared ownership and implementation.
The WCO Director of Compliance and Facilitation emphasised the need for cooperation and inclusiveness in the context of e-commerce, highlighting the concrete benefits of the IO Partnership in the development of the WCO Performance Measurement Mechanism (www.wcoomd.org/en/topics/capacity-building/instrument-and-tools/pmm.aspx), and the role of technology in data analytics.
The participants discussed the need to leverage multiple international instruments to address global challenges, with a focus on climate change. They also underscored the complementarity of international actors in addressing the challenges posed by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the need to assess the impact of international instruments, with a spotlight on the challenges of embedding this information in organisations and adopting a change management and adaptation path.
On the second day, the OECD Secretary General highlighted the vital role of a robust multilateral system, emphasising good practices for effective coordination as demonstrated by the COVID-19 trade facilitation repository. (www.tfafacility.org/media-resources/covid-19-trade-facilitation-repository) He highlighted the IO Partnership's significant contribution to enhancing coherence and trust in international rulemaking, and the role of IOs cooperation to support evidence-based policy-making.
Looking to the future, the participants engaged in round table discussions to identify shared priorities, addressing inclusiveness, agility and impact evaluation.
The meeting concluded with a session on collaboration with academic partners, focusing on inclusiveness in IO rulemaking.
As the 10th Annual Meeting came to a close, the commitment to strengthen IOs cooperation for effective international rulemaking remained resolute. The insights and priorities defined during this milestone event are poised to shape the future of global governance, ensuring a coordinated and inclusive approach to address the challenges that lie ahead.