3 April 2026, Kathmandu, Nepal

ROCB A/P supported the implementation of a WCO National Workshop on Time Release Study (TRS), held on 3 April 2026 in Kathmandu, Nepal with funding support from the CCF/Korea. The workshop brought together participants from the Department of Customs of Nepal, the Ministry of Finance, other government agencies (OGAs), and the private sector in Nepal.

The workshop served as a preparatory step for the TRS to be conducted at border Customs such as Birgunj Customs and Nepalgunj Customs, while strengthening national capacity for its third implementation of TRS in Nepal.

From ROCB A/P, Ms. Asuka Nagamatsu, Program Manager, provided an overview of the WCO, its Customs Modernization initiatives, the WTO TFA and Mercator Programme, and related TRS initiatives. Ms. Imelda Malik, WCO Accredited Expert on TRS, delivered detailed sessions on the key elements of TRS, Member experiences, and its methodology, offering comprehensive insights applicable to both new and experienced practitioners.

Finally, Mr. Jun Tajima, Head of ROCB A/P, delivered the closing remarks, emphasizing that a clear sense of purpose and strong partnerships among the border agencies are essential for the effective implementation of TRS, and expressed his hope for the successful completion of Nepal’s TRS.

Building on this knowledge, participants proceeded with data collection and recording which experts provided valuable insights. The experts will follow-up, even after this Workshop, on data analysis and finalization of findings and recommendations, to support Nepal’s third TRS implementation.

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