The National Assembly approved changes to the country’s customs law yesterday, in order to comply with Association of Southeast Asian Nations intergration standards.

The changes demand border operations increase human resources, reduce paperwork and modernise procedures in order to simplify border exchange and facilitate trade between member states.

The approved amendments also include stricter terrorism and smuggling prevention clauses. It states that information can be directly exchanged at the border between ASEAN countries.

“The implementation of ASEAN [standards] on customs will bring new opportunities [to Cambodia], and will strengthen control of imports, exports, crossings, goods trafficking, helping to prevent and combat smuggling and prevent terrorism,” Cheam Yeap, a parliamentarian for the ruling Cambodia People’s Party, said.

Cambodian Finance Minister Aun Porn Moniroth said the approval marks another step towards achieving integration within the region.

“I do believe that after the approval, Cambodia will continue to implement and urge integration into the region, which encourages economic growth, increasing revenues and creating jobs for people,” he said.

Cambodia signed on to the ASEAN agreement on customs in March 2012 and has been hurridly introducing a raft of reforms since, as regional economic integration in 2015 edges closer.