Establishment of the Peruvian National Section of the Peru-Bolivia Bilateral Commission to Combat Organized Smuggling of Agricultural Products and Other Goods (Ministerial Resolution No. 248-2012-PCM)

Ministerial Resolution No. 248-2012-PCM, published on September 28, 2012, established the Multisectoral Working Group constituting the Peruvian National Section of the Peru-Bolivia Bilateral Commission to Combat Organized Smuggling of Agricultural Products and Other Goods. The working group serves as an interinstitutional coordination mechanism supporting the bilateral commission responsible for addressing organized smuggling of agricultural products and other goods between Peru and Bolivia. Its functions include coordinating and consolidating information required to meet the commission's objectives and requests, proposing issues for discussion at bilateral meetings, and reporting progress, activities and results to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The resolution provides for participation by representatives of public institutions responsible for production, agriculture, foreign trade, foreign affairs, customs, security and other relevant matters. The working group operates under the Ministry of Production as Peru's national coordination mechanism supporting bilateral cooperation. Ministerial Resolution No. 241-2013-PCM subsequently modified its membership and established that the group would remain in operation for as long as the binational body continued to perform its functions. The resolution does not establish an international treaty, an independent customs sanctions regime or a financial assistance program for agricultural producers. Its principal contribution is to strengthen institutional coordination and information exchange in addressing organized cross-border smuggling.