The first meeting of the ASEM Procedures Working Group was held on 21-22 March 1997 in Brussels to address the issues identified by the ASEM Customs Directors General and Commissioners Meeting in its statement issued in Shenzhen, China on 21 June 1996. The Working Group noted its mandate as specified in the Shenzhen statement, namely, to follow up on the- discussion of the Shenzhen meeting and identify specific areas and methods of operation, including cooperation with other relevant authorities and appropriate private organizations in the field of Custom procedures, and to look into how training programs, technical assistance, and the exchange of human resources can be promoted and intensified.