AUTHORIZED ECONOMIC OPERATORS' ROLE IN EXPANDING PREFERENTIAL TRADE BETWEEN ASYMMETRICAL ECONOMIES

Abstract

The article focuses on determining the conditions under which the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) institution transforms nominal tariff preferences into realized benefits for businesses in asymmetric economies. The theoretical and regulatory basis is the SAFE Framework of Standards (2005), which institutionalized the “trusted trader” approach and established AEO as a mechanism for combining security requirements with procedural facilitation. On this basis, relevant publications by international organizations and regulators are summarized: the rapid but uneven diffusion of AEO programs around the world and the significant heterogeneity of their application are noted; critical comments are made regarding the practical benefits and completeness of effectiveness monitoring. The paper emphasizes that the alignment of AEO status with preferential regimes occurs through three key channels: customs risk management (less frequent inspections and priority clearance), proof of origin (simplification, self-certification, cumulation, reduction of the probability of refusals), and digitization of procedures (“single window,” electronic document management), while the multiplicative effect is provided by mutual recognition agreements (MRAs), which symmetrize trust and simplification on both sides of the border. Empirical observations on the implementation of AEO in regions with asymmetries in economic capacity (EU, US/CTPAT, China, ASEAN, Africa, Latin America), where the combination of business coverage, actual benefits, and MRA network density determines the degree of conversion of preferences from nominal to actual. An unresolved problem has been identified — the lack of agreed performance indicators that would directly reflect the growth in the level of preference utilization, reduction in processing time/cost, and stability of supplies in the AEO segment. The practical conclusion is that maximum return is achieved in the combination of “AEO + MRA + simplified rules of origin + digital services,” while in the absence of any link, the effect becomes fragmented.