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Issue: WCO News 77
Operation Cosmo – the first ever global WCO operation on strategic goods
Flash Info
...As part of its Strategic Trade Controls Enforcement (STCE) Project, the WCO organized an unprecedented law enforcement operation to detect and prevent illicit trafficking of strategic goods in international supply chains. The operation, which went under the code name of ‘Cosmo’, brought together 89 WCO Member Customs administrations and their national partners to coalesce around the goals of international security and non-proliferation. Operation Cosmo benefited from the support of the WCO Regional Intelligence Liaison Office network and of the Organization’s international part...
Issue: WCO News 78
New book provides insight into the economic benefits of implementing a single window system
Flash Info
...The adoption of the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) in December 2013 at the World Trade Organization’s (WTO’s) Ministerial Conference held in Bali, Indonesia, was a landmark achievement for the global trade community. The so-called ‘Bali Package’ marked an end to trade negotiations that had dragged on for over a decade. In a broader context the agreement breathed new life into the WTO’s style of multilateralism, which many had started to doubt due to the persistent deadlocks in trade negotiations experienced in previous years. ...
Issue: WCO News 79
New book examines existing collaborative mechanisms aimed at protecting the environment in a more efficient way
Flash Info
... The WCO is among the impressive range of contributors from policy, enforcement and academic circles who contributed to the 2015 volume of the Palgrave Studies in Green Criminology, titled ‘Environmental Crime and Collaborative State Intervention.’ The book sheds light on how collaborative networks form in the context of the fight against environmental crime, and what opportunities they offer for all stakeholders. ...
Issue: WCO News 80
Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement added to WCO Comparative Study on Preferential Rules of Origin
Flash Info
...The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement was signed on 4 February 2016. It aims to establish a more seamless trade and investment environment through commonly-agreed rules and the promotion of transparent laws and regulations, providing greater certainty for businesses, reducing costs and red tape, and facilitating participation in regional supply chains. The TPP is the first of the so-called ‘mega-regional’ free trade agreements (FTAs), a term which refers to deep integration between countries, or regions with a major share of world trade and foreign direct investment (FDI)...
Issue: WCO News 82
A new module in ASYCUDA speeds up the processing of relief consignments
Flash Info
...In major humanitarian crises, whether natural disasters or complex emergencies, many relief goods are delayed by Customs. Sometimes these items are only released months after their arrival, and, in the worst-case scenario, may never reach the affected population. The reason for such delays is that Customs authorities are often not adequately prepared to process the large amount of relief items that usually arrive in a disaster stricken country within a very short period of time. The case of the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan struck in November 2013 gives an idea of the volumes invo...
Issue: WCO News 83
Image format standardization: a revolution in the making
Flash Info
...Non-intrusive inspection (NII) technology is now being used by Customs administrations around the world to increase the efficiency of their inspection capability, and speed up the clearance process. It consists of various technologies with different capabilities that are able to identify specific goods and materials during the inspection process. Among them are high-energy cargo scanning systems, which allow the screening of different modes of transport such as cars, trucks, railway wagons and sea containers, as well as personal luggage, packages, parcels and other mail through either X-ray...
Issue: WCO News 84
Pre-loading advance cargo information: latest status update
Flash Info
...In October 2010, a bomb was found by police in the United Kingdom (UK) aboard a UPS plane after detailed information was passed through intelligence channels. Tests revealed that if the cargo plane’s journey had gone to schedule, the device – in a package addressed to a synagogue in Chicago – would have gone off in midair over the eastern seaboard of the United States (US). The device found in the UK was one of two discovered. The other was at Dubai International Airport on a FEDEX plane. The device found in Dubai had travelled on two passenger planes without being detected. Both ...
Issue: WCO News 85
Save the date!
Flash Info
... WCO Conference on Illicit Financial Flows and Trade Mis-invoicing 23 May 2018, Brussels, Belgium The Conference is being organized by the WCO at its Headquarters, bringing together Members of the WCO and other relevant stakeholders to share their experiences and to discuss how they can cooperate and work in tandem to counter illicit financial flows (IFFs) and trade mis-invoicing. The morning session will focus on the assessment of both phenomena and on methods of detection, with a particular focus on unit price analysis and mirror ...
Issue: WCO News 86
More WCO tools to assist revenue collection to be launched soon
Flash Info
...The WCO’s Revenue Package (RP) is nearing the completion of its third phase, which will see the launch in June 2018 of a number of new tools and material for Customs administrations. The motto of the RP is “fair and efficient revenue collection,” the objective being to strengthen the capacity of Customs administrations to identify and collect all revenue that is legally due. This requires Customs, and the business community, to have deep technical knowledge of the building blocks for establishing duty liability – namely, Customs valuation, classification, and preferential ori...
Issue: WCO News 81
Council 2016
Dossier
...Directors General of Customs gathered at WCO Headquarters from 14 to 16 July 2016 to endorse the work done by the Organization covering the period July 2015 to June 2016, and to chart the way forward in the months ahead. This dossier touches on the WCO’s main areas of work – compliance, facilitation, tariff and trade affairs, and capacity building – and presents the progress made and initiatives taken in each of these areas over the 12 month period. It also reports interesting events that occurred during the Council. ...
Issue: WCO News 87
Rules of Origin Facilitator: a new tool to help MSMEs benefit from tariff preferences
Flash Info
...  There are currently over 400 free trade agreements and preferential trade arrangements in place worldwide, which establish lower rates of Customs duties for certain goods provided that specified origin criteria are met. However, many companies ignore the fact that they can claim tariff preferences, or, if they do know that such schemes exist, they do not understand how to verify that the goods they buy or sell are eligible for preferential treatment. As a result, many potential beneficiaries pay the tariff that applies to goods originating in countries that are not part...
Issue: WCO News 88
WCO and EU jointly support the application of the Harmonized System in Africa
Flash Info
... Uniting Africa with a common trade nomenclature is the goal of a new European Union (EU) funded programme being conducted by the WCO. The 41-month programme, called “Harmonizing the classification of goods based on WCO standards to enhance African trade,” focuses on the development of organizational and technical capacities for the uniform implementation and application of the WCO’s Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System – generally referred to as the “HS” – and further includes assistance relating to the implementation...
Issue: WCO News 90 October 2019
From the WCO drawing board to Customs strategic plans: is the nCEN Programme taking Customs by storm?
Flash Info
...When it all began, in 2013, the National Customs Enforcement Network (nCEN) application was only used in one country which needed a tool to collect, store, analyse, and disseminate law enforcement information efficiently in order to establish robust intelligence capabilities. . In the first year after its release, eight countries began using the application, and, as time went on, others followed suit. Today, nCEN has been deployed in 35 Customs administrations, and concrete plans are in place to increase this number to 50 by the end of 2020. The fast growth in the number of nCEN coun...
Issue: WCO News 101 – Issue 2 / 2023
Post-clearance audit: two new publications for Customs authorities
Flash Info
... Fraud Detected Through Post-Clearance Audit and Its Techniques This publication brings together information on various fraud cases discovered though post-clearance audit (PCA) in 2022. It explains how the fraud was committed and how auditors examined information in order to reveal the facts. The focus is on providing information-gathering techniques (what financial accounts to look at in the accounting books, what business documents to check in the taxpayer’s office and what questions to ask taxpayers i...
Issue: WCO News 74
Strategic Trade Control Enforcement Project: a new component of the WCO Compliance and Enforcement Package
Flash Info
... One year ago, the WCO Secretariat launched a Strategic Trade Control Enforcement (STCE) Project as directed by the WCO Enforcement Committee and in response to calls for technical assistance from WCO Members. The Project’s anniversary marks a good opportunity to take stock of what has been accomplished so far, and what remains to be done. Strategic goods are defined as weapons of mass destruction (WMD), conventional weapons, and related items involved in the development, production or use of such weapons and their delivery systems. Anot...
Issue: WCO News 77
Update on the WCO Revenue Package
Flash Info
...New tools have recently been developed as part of the WCO’s Revenue Package, which collates all material relevant to improving revenue collection and compliance levels. Diagnostic Tool on Tariff Classification, Valuation and Origin Work and Related Infrastructure; and Guidelines on Customs Infrastructure for Tariff Classification, Valuation and Origin (Members only) The aim of this new material is to provide a road map and self-assessment mechanism which will help WCO Members to assess their current level, identify weakn...
Issue: WCO News 78
Tribute to Professor Hironori Asakura
Flash Info
...2 July 2015 marked a sad day on the WCO calendar when the international Customs community learned of the passing of Professor Hironori Asakura, one of the founding fathers of the WCO’s Harmonized System (HS), at the age of 87. His relationship with the WCO dates back to 1968. Professor Asakura held several positions within what was then the Nomenclature Directorate, which became the Nomenclature and Classification ...
Issue: WCO News 79
New WCO guide for updating preferential rules of origin
Flash Info
...Goods classification and origin determination of goods are closely interlinked. Typically, the requirements for determining origin are specified for individual products or product categories identified according to their respective Harmonized System (HS) code. Classification of goods is, therefore, of the utmost importance in establishing which Rules of Origin (RoO) apply to a good. Moreover, in many cases, the RoO to be applied will refer to a change in tariff classification (CTC) at chapter, heading or subheading level, a criterion which requires correct classification of the final...
Issue: WCO News 81
Members of the WCO engage on e-commerce, security, coordinated border management, illicit trade, and revenue at the July 2016 WCO Council Sessions
Dossier
...During the 126th/127th Sessions of the WCO Council, which took place in July of this year, Heads of Customs administrations representing the 180 Members of the WCO engaged on many critical topics, such as e-commerce, security, Customs-Police cooperation, Customs-Tax cooperation, protection of cultural heritage, and revenue. In this article, I take up each of these topics in turn. E-commerce The changing trade landscape is a dramatic development for Customs, especially the growth in e-commerce and the associat...
Issue: WCO News 80
WCO releases new instrument on transfer pricing and Customs valuation
Flash Info
...An important new instrument was finalized at the April 2016 session of the WCO Technical Committee on Customs Valuation (TCCV). The instrument is Case Study 14.1, illustrating a specific scenario where Customs took into account transfer pricing information in the course of verifying the Customs value, which should benefit Customs authorities and business alike. Transfer pricing refers to the price for goods and services sold between controlled or related legal entities. Multinational companies determine a transfer price in order to allocate profits among their different parts, which in turn...
Issue: WCO News 82
New global HS standard enters into force
Flash Info
...The new edition of the WCO Harmonized System (HS) Nomenclature entered into force on 1 January 2017. The changes in HS 2017 encompass 242 sets of amendments relating to a wide range of products and product groups, including: fish and fishery products; forestry products; antimalarial products; substances controlled under the Chemical Weapons Convention; hazardous chemicals controlled under the Rotterdam Convention; persistent organic pollutants controlled under the Stockholm Convention; ceramic tiles; light-emitting ...
Issue: WCO News 83
Dossier: Sweeping away corruption through collective action
Dossier
...In the dossier section of this edition of the magazine, we have chosen to focus on the use of ‘collective action’ to fight corruption, an expression which arose out of a concern to find an innovative approach to address integrity-related issues. ...
Issue: WCO News 84
New instrument on royalties and licence fees
Flash Info
...An important new instrument was finalized at the May 2017 session of the WCO Technical Committee on Customs Valuation (TCCV). The instrument, Advisory Opinion 4.17, deals with a scenario where royalties have been paid by a franchisee to a franchisor for the use of the brands and system connected to the operation of stores under a franchise agreement. Under Article 8.1(c) of the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Agreement on Customs Valuation, the Customs value of imported goods should include royalties and licence fees related to the goods being valued that the buyer must pay, eithe...
Issue: WCO News 85
WCO to place a spotlight on “disruptive technologies” in April 2018
Flash Info
...A whole day will be devoted to “disruptive technologies” at the meeting of the WCO’s Permanent Technical Committee (PTC) that is scheduled to take place from 16 to 20 April 2018. Delegates will discuss, in detail, the potential benefits, risks and impact of technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence, machine learning, virtual reality, the Internet of Things, robotics and biometrics, on the work of Customs. Moreover, they will examine a Study Report compiling all relevant work already done on these topics under the auspices of the WCO Virtual Working Group on the F...
Issue: WCO News 86
Global Montreal Protocol Award
Flash Info
...Applications for the Global Montreal Protocol Award are now being accepted. Eligible nominees include Customs and enforcement officers or their respective organizations. Nominees must have successfully prevented illegal or unwanted trade in hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) as well as equipment or products containing or relying on the use of these chemicals. Both groups of chemicals are widely used as refrigerants and foam blowing agents: HCFCs contribute to ozone layer depletion and global warming. They will gradually be phased...
Issue: WCO News 87
New version of the TRS Guide
Flash Info
...  The WCO has released a new edition of the “Guide to Measure the Time Required for the Release of Goods,” known as the Time Release Study (TRS) Guide. An update of the TRS software and its User Manual will follow in the coming months. The WCO Time Release Study is an internationally accepted strategic tool to measure the actual time taken for the release and/or clearance of goods – from the time of arrival until the physical release of cargo – as well as the effectiveness and efficiency of border procedures relating to imports, exports and transit movements of go...
Issue: WCO News 88
Mapping informality
Flash Info
...The Global Informality Project is a research project aimed at collecting studies on informal practices and structures around the globe. Launched in 2014, the database is available online at www.in-formality.com and is searchable by region, country, keyword or type of practice. More than 250 scholars from 70 countries have already participated in the Project by submitting their work to the online platform, enabling readers to better comprehend the unwritten rules, or “ways of getting things done”, in their countries or region. ...
Issue: WCO News 89
Small Island Economies: the WCO’s renewed focus
Flash Info
...The WCO’s initiative on “Small Island Economies” (SIEs) was launched in June 2018 with the aim of providing the Customs administrations of such economies with tailor-made capacity building and technical assistance that would help them to curb illicit trade and smuggling more effectively, while facilitating trade flows and reducing the costs of doing business across borders. Various challenges There is no formal definition of SIEs, their “smallness” often referring to the size of their population, th...
Issue: WCO News 90 October 2019
UNODC-WCO Container Control Programme: 15 years old and still going strong
Flash Info
...Identifying shipments containing prohibited or smuggled goods is somewhat like searching for the proverbial “needle in a haystack” for Customs officers. Let’s keep this image in mind: modern container ships are like massive “haystacks,” each carrying up to 20,000 containers. It’s the same with planes: while the volume of goods they carry is less impressive, it is still substantial, and the rise of e-commerce has generated fleets of all-cargo aircraft carrying thousands of individual parcels across the globe. Aware of these challenges, the WCO and the United Nations Office...
Issue: WCO News 91 February 2020
WCO Revised Arusha Declaration: putting integrity back in the spotlight
Flash Info
...Since the late 1980s, WCO Members have been drawing and sharing lessons from their experiences in combating corruption and promoting integrity. They identified various factors that effective national Customs integrity programmes must address, and consolidated them into 12 and later 10 factors[1] in the Arusha Declaration Concerning Good Governance and Integrity in Customs, which w...
Issue: WCO News 92 June 2020
Controlling general aviation: WCO mapping tool nearing completion
Flash Info
...In early 2019, and in partnership with the European Union, the WCO launched the COLIBRI Project to assist Customs administrations in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa in im...
Issue: WCO News 93 October 2020
WCO Cargo Targeting system gets upgraded
Flash Info
...The WCO has released an upgraded version of its Cargo Targeting System (WCO CTS). This enhancement has been made possible thanks to financial support provided by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, and assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Whilst the software retains the same features, it presents them in a new and intuitive way that enhances the user experience. This new version also future-proofs the System for the coming years by strengthening its security and making it easy to adapt to the evolving needs of Customs adm...
Issue: WCO News 94 February 2021
The WCO launches its new strategic planning cycle
Flash Info
...In December 2019, the WCO Policy Commission clearly expressed the need to strengthen the linkage between the WCO Strategic Plan, a document that sets the objectives and concrete targets to be met by WCO Members over a three-year period, and the Environmental Scan, which offers an annual view of the main global trends currently impacting Customs’ operations or which could affect them in the future. In addition, through various WCO working bodies, Members have sought the use of a forward-looking methodology to prepare more effectively for the upcoming challenges and opportunities facing the...
Issue: WCO News 95 – June 2021
WCO launches new IPR-related tools
Flash Info
...The WCO Secretariat recently developed two new intellectual property right (IPR)-related tools: the Training Handbook on Legal and Practical Measures Against Offences Relating to Intellectual Property Rights and the IPR Self-Assessment Tool. They supplement the Model Legislation, the IPR Diagnostic Tool and the Handbook for Customs Officers on Risk Indicators: Factors for Intellectual Property Infringement. ...
Issue: WCO News 96 October 2021
The COLIBRI Geoportal: a mapping tool for enforcement
Flash Info
...At the start of 2019, in partnership with the European Union, the WCO Secretariat launched the COLIBRI Project to help administrations responsible for enforcement in Latin America, the Caribbean and West Africa to implement effective controls in general aviation. General aviation covers all civil aviation other than commercial activities (sports and leisure aviation, private aviation, business aviation and aerial work). Behind the project lies the recognition that the law enforcement authorities find it very difficult to carry out effective controls on small aircraft and detect the u...
Issue: WCO News 97 – Issue 1 / 2022
Operation STOP II: Key trends
Flash Info
...In 2020, the WCO Secretariat ran the first ever Operation STOP initiative to assist Customs enforcement services in enhancing their capacity to control the medical products which are generally used to diagnose or treat COVID-19. An article listing the achievements of the Operation was published in the 94th edition of WCO News in February 2021. That year saw the worldwide launch of COVID-19 vaccination campaigns, and the Secretariat t...
Issue: WCO News 98 – Issue 2 / 2022
WCO COVID-19 Project: results and way forward
Flash Info
... When COVID-19 was declared a pandemic in March 2020, the Government of Japan decided to provide funding to the WCO Secretariat to ensure Customs administrations had at their disposal comprehensive guidance material and tools to effectively respond to such disruptive events and could receive assistance if needed. The WCO COVID-19 Project was born. This article provides an overview of what was achieved during the past two years. In June 2011, Heads of Customs at the WCO Council session adopted a “Resolution on the Role of Customs in Natural Dis...
Issue: WCO News 99- Issue 3 / 2022
Programme Global Shield: a look into new activities planned for the next three years
Flash Info
... Following the signature of two new grant agreements with the European Union and the US Department of State, new activities have been scheduled under Programme Global Shield (PGS) for the next three years (mid-2022 to mid-2025) for the benefit of all WCO Members. Launched in 2010, PGS is an initiative aimed at building Customs capacity to monitor the licit movement and counter the illicit trafficking and diversion of explosive precursor chemicals and other components of improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The threat posed by IEDs is a global pr...
Issue: WCO News 100 – Issue 1 / 2023
To read: WCO Trendspotter Study on Customs-Related Commercial Fraud
Flash Info
...The WCO has published its first Trendspotter Study, with the aim of identifying trends in commercial fraud involving trade in goods. The Study was written by a project team with the assistance of experts from Customs administrations, and was funded by Korea Customs. The Trendspotter methodology was developed by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) for the rapid assessment of emerging drug-related trends. It aims, in particular, to make it possible to study phenomena for which we do not have a precise set of data and “involves the co...
Issue: WCO News 102 – Issue 3 / 2023
Operation Arena Blanca: Customs administrations of the Americas and Caribbean region mobilize to counter IED production
Flash Info
...The threat of an improvised explosive device (IED) attack is a global problem. Although not a recent phenomenon, the use of IEDs in modern warfare and by terrorist groups has grown exponentially in the 21st century. Part of the reason that IEDs are so prevalent is that they are cheap and relatively easy to manufacture. They can be made from a range of materials, including commercially available chemicals such as ammonium nitrate and potassium chlorate – two chemicals used in the production of fertilizers. Most of the attacks carried out with IEDs have a cross-border compone...
Issue: WCO News 103 – Issue 1 / 2024
Supporting trade integration in Africa: two new publications under the EU-WCO Rules of Origin Africa Programme
Flash Info
... Comprehensive Comparative Study on applicable rules of origin in the East and Southern African (ESA) region The ...
Issue: WCO News 104 – Issue 2 / 2024
Measuring to learn, innovate and continually improve
Dossier: measuring performance
...Everywhere I have been these last few months, I have seen new technologies being deployed, new practices being implemented, and new projects being launched with the objective of transforming ideas into concrete results to serve the public interest. Customs is truly a world of change. In order for those dynamics to be perceived, to demonstrate that positive changes are happening, and shed light on the need for adjustments, as well as to ultimately improve decision-making in government, we need to measure results, outcomes and impact. Managing and measuring performance has many ...
Issue: WCO News 105 – Issue 3 / 2024
Digitalizing origin data exchanges: the latest work from the WCO
Flash Info
...The WCO is pleased to share the links to current work in this area and the news that an open Global Forum on Origin Interconnectivity will be held in February 2025. The WCO started the latest round of work looking at the digitalization of origin related procedures in 2022 when it conducted a survey of WCO Members to understand the then status quo.   Eighty-four Customs administrations responded to the survey, and its findings were presented in the...
Issue: WCO News 77
Global Trade and Customs Journal, the premier journal for international trade practitioners
Flash Info
...The Global Trade and Customs Journal (GTCJ) is celebrating its 10th year of publication. In its first decade, the Journal focused its work on the issues facing int...
Issue: WCO News 78
Project INAMA: enhancing Sub-Saharan Customs’ capacity to fight illegal wildlife trade
Flash Info
...In October 2014, the WCO launched a new project aimed at enhancing Customs’ capacity to counter wildlife trafficking by ensuring that all trade in wild plants and animals, and any products derived from them, is legal in terms of the implementing provisions of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), as well as under any relevant national legislation. Named INAMA, a word which means ‘wild animals’ in the language of the Zambian Bemba tribe, the project is not the first wildlife-focused initiative undertaken by the WCO. In fact,...
Issue: WCO News 79
Digital Customs, the opportunities of the Information Age
Dossier
...The world is turning digital, faster than we could have imagined, and public administrations are also moving online just as fast. Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is everywhere in today’s Customs workplace. From the use of ICT in office automation, to the use of the Internet to publish and disseminate information, to the use of automated clearance systems to make declarations, perform risk management, undertake validation and processing, and eventually to issue approvals, ICT has transformed the way that Customs and governments operate. During the last Sessions of th...
Issue: WCO News 80
Some thoughts on illicit trade
Dossier
...Much has been said about illicit trade and over the years many articles touching on this subject have been published in this magazine covering, amongst others, drugs, tobacco, ivory, counterfeiting, cash and dual-use goods. In this edition we put the spotlight on some lesser known illicit trade issues such as cultural goods, small arms, fisheries crime, and illicit pesticides, in an endeavour to share pragmatic ideas and ways that can help us to devise strategies in which to confront these existing menaces. In this article I will be taking stock of what we have achieved together in t...
Issue: WCO News 82
Data analysis: seizing opportunities for effective border management
Dossier
...Data is generated by every economic activity, including by the movement of goods and people. In fact, the convergence of several technologies is accelerating the generation of data. According to experts, the volume of data continues to double every three years as information pours in from digital platforms, wireless sensors, virtual-reality applications, and billions of mobile phones. In addition, data storage capacity has increased, while its cost has plummeted. Data scientists now have unprecedented computing power at their disposal, and they are devising algorithms that are ever more sop...
Issue: WCO News 83
Integrity: what we have learned and what we still need to learn
Dossier
...By the very nature of their activities, Customs administrations are vulnerable to various sorts of corruption – from the payment of a bribe to large-scale fraud. Since the adoption of the Arusha Declaration in 1993, which was later revised in 2003, the WCO has developed several tools to help its Members identify or monitor corruption risks, implement relevant measures, and develop anti-corruption strategies. Moreover, the WCO also carries out various types of missions at the request of its Members, such as integrity assessment missions, missions to provide guidance on the introduct...
Issue: WCO News 85
WCO to launch an e-learning portal for the private sector
Flash Info
...On 1 May 2018, the WCO will launch the “WCO Academy,” an online platform where representatives from the private sector will be able to access e-learning courses, webinars, books and news. The WCO has already developed 23 Customs-focused e-learning courses covering more than 500 hours of e-training on major international instruments, topics and concepts that contribute to enhancing the work of Customs officers from across the globe, directly at their work place. It is now making specific courses available to private sector professionals, which have been suitably adjusted to meet their ne...
Issue: WCO News 86
WCO launches its online academy for the trade community
Flash Info
...The brand new WCO e-learning portal aimed at building the Customs skills of trade professionals is now live. Courses currently address the following topics: Harmonized System (five sector specific courses) Agriculture & Agrifood Chemicals Industry & Construction Textiles Art & Jewellery WCO Data Model (two courses) Managers Practitioners Customs Valuation (two courses) Valuat...
Issue: WCO News 81
Tariff and Trade Affairs
Dossier
... Cross-cutting activities: Revenue Package and Advance Rulings The WCO continued to assist its Members in the implementation of the Revenue Package which provides guidance and good practices for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of revenue collection. WCO experts conducted a national and a regional seminar to promote the Revenue Package and Advance Rulings. The national seminar was held in Swaziland to assist the country’s Revenue Authority in implementing an advance ruling system for classification...
Issue: WCO News 87
Support for humanitarian aid: WCO successfully concludes the innovative C-RED project
Flash Info
...  © UNMEER Back in 2016, t...
Issue: WCO News 88
New WCO Strategic Plan in the pipeline
Flash Info
...Every Organization, whether public or private, national or international, must have a Strategic Plan, in other words a roadmap for achieving its objectives. When such a document is missing, or not reviewed regularly, each element of an Organization tends to work on its own, sometimes regardless of the wider goals that the Organization is seeking to achieve. The WCO is no exception, and its Secretariat needs a strategic plan to carry out the Organization’s day-to-day activities along the right lines, whilst ensuring that the efforts of its staff are fully focused on the achievement of iden...
Issue: WCO News 89
WCO releases new Customs tools to advance gender equality and diversity
Flash Info
...Gender equality and diversity has been part of the WCO capacity building agenda since 2013. In continuing its efforts to promote the advancement of gender equality and diversity in Customs, the WCO launched a number of new tools and initiatives in the past year. Gender Equality Organizational Assessment Tool (GEOAT) Launched in 2013, the GEOAT enables Customs administra...
Issue: WCO News 90 October 2019
WCO Data Model: understanding the WCO’s key data harmonization and standardization tool for cross-border regulatory processes
Flash Info
...The availability of quality and timely electronic data in a standardized and harmonized manner underpins the effective use of information and communication technologies (ICT) for modern border procedures. Some of the common challenges relating to data requirements for various Customs and border clearance processes include redundancy, proprietary or bespoke standards, poor structure and definition, and fragmented or excessive data requirements. To that end, the WCO Data Model (DM) has been developed as a compilation of clearly structured, harmonized, standardized and reusable sets of ...
Issue: WCO News 91 February 2020
BACUDA: supporting Customs with data analytics
Flash Info
...WCO Members asked the Secretariat to place a new focus on the development of guidance and capacity to support the use of data analytics. As one of the responses, a team of experts was put in place under a project called BACUDA. The project’s name is an acronym, which stands for “BAnd of CUstoms Data Analysts.” It is also a Korean word that means “to change.” Indeed, the aim of the project is to help Customs administrations in embracing analytical tools and methodologies, a major move for many. BACUDA team members are all data experts with whom the Secretariat has been colla...
Issue: WCO News 92 June 2020
Where there’s a way, there’s a will: how the WCO builds capacity to implement strategic trade controls
Flash Info
... It is often said that where there is a will there’s a way, but the reverse can also be true: improving Customs administrations’ capacity to understand and implement regulations might influence their willingness to make commitments. By developing and disseminating methods and tools to make strategic trade controls effective and efficient, the WCO may actually increase the chances that Customs administrations are willing to build control capacity in this domain. This article looks at the WCO approach to capacity building in the domain of strategic trade con...
Issue: WCO News 93 October 2020
WCO Secretariat launches the COVID-19 Project
Flash Info
...WCO Secretariat has launched a COVID-19 Project to assist Customs administrations in dealing with unpredictable and disruptive events such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to the Government of Japan, which is providing financial support for the project, the Secretariat aims to develop guidelines, based on various scenarios, which Customs should follow to ensure effective and efficient disaster management and supply chain continuity. ...
Issue: WCO News 94 February 2021
Project TENTACLE: enhancing law enforcement capacity to tackle money laundering and terrorism financing
Flash Info
... Project TENTACLE, led  by the WCO Secretariat and funded by the U.S. Department of State – Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (DoS INL) -, aims to raise awareness of money laundering activities and schemes in the Customs area, as well as to augment the enforcement capabilities of Customs, financial intelligence units (FIUs) and police services. A joint effort with the Egmont Group for FIUs and with INTERPOL, Project TENTACLE focuses its efforts on money laundering and terrorism financing in Asia, Latin America, Africa, Ea...
Issue: WCO News 95 – June 2021
WCO launches new online services
Flash Info
...The WCO recently launched a new online platform, WCO Trade Tools (www.wcotradetools.org), which offers a single point of access to: the 2002, 2007, 2012 and 2017 Editions of the Harmonized System (HS), together with their Legal Notes, Explanatory Notes and Classification Opinions; more than 350 Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) along with their Preferential Rules of Origin and Product-Specific Rules of Origin; and instruments developed by the Technical Committee on Customs Valuation, such as ...
Issue: WCO News 96 October 2021
Discover the WCO Trade Tools
Flash Info
... Harmonized System (HS) HS 2022 and the last four editions of the HS (2002, 2007, 2012 and 2017) Advanced search engine Legal Notes, Explanatory Notes* and Classification Opinions* A history tool tracking the evolution of HS codes at subheading level across different editions* Option to add comments, tags, save searches and create folders which are accessible through the homepage and in the user’s personal area* ...
Issue: WCO News 97 – Issue 1 / 2022
Unlocking potential: latest news and testimonials about the Career Development Programme
Flash Info
...It takes time and dedication for Customs officers to become familiar with WCO tools, instruments and recommended practices in the course of their daily work. First, there are numerous amounts of them. Second, some are highly technical, and getting to grips with them requires training from WCO staff or experts. In addition, in some areas (such as leadership), benefiting from the work of the WCO goes beyond simply acquiring knowledge: officers are asked to participate actively through practical exercises and role play, and even to open up to others. ...
Issue: WCO News 98 – Issue 2 / 2022
New introduction course on the HS
Flash Info
...A new e-learning course introducing the concepts and elements of commodity classification according to the Harmonized System (HS) has been published on CLiCK!, the WCO learning platform for Customs officers. It complements the “HS Advanced” course which zooms in on individual sections, chapters and headings of the HS, providing detailed information, examples of products, and plenty of exercises. Entitled “HS Foundation”, the course is designed to be completed within approximately 6 hours and consists of th...
Issue: WCO News 99- Issue 3 / 2022
A new tool for IP rights holders
Flash Info
...A Rights Holders’ Corner has been added to the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) CENcomm Group, the secure communication tool developed by the WCO Secretariat to enable law enforcement officers to exchange information on goods infringing IPR or posing a danger to people’s health and safety. Such groups, all based on, and part of, the CENcomm web-based communication system, were initially created to facilitate data exchange during high impact enforcement operations but some are also used on a long-term basis. This is the case of the IPR CENcomm Group which was used during Operati...
Issue: WCO News 100 – Issue 1 / 2023
New e-learning module on Internal Affairs
Flash Info
...An e-learning module on Internal Affairs was released in January 2023 on CLiKC! – the learning platform developed by the WCO for Customs officers. The course was first released in English, but will be available in French, Portuguese, Arabic and Spanish by the end of March 2023. The WCO’s Revised Arusha Declaration[1], which lists the ten key factors that must be taken into account in a national Customs integrity programme, declares that “the prevention and control of corru...
Issue: WCO News 101 – Issue 2 / 2023
The WCO Fellowship Programme is modernizing
Flash Info
... The Fellowship Programme will combine online and in-person activities from September 2023 onwards. Already used for several activities, the method is expected to be cost-effective and to provide Fellows with an equally rewarding experience. As with the rest of the world and other sectors, COVID-19 had a massive impact on business continuity at the WCO, and the Secretariat had to adapt to work with Customs administrations entirely remotely, including when providing technical assistance. As the remote working methods proved to be effective, some a...
Issue: WCO News 102 – Issue 3 / 2023
WCO launches its Performance Measurement Mechanism
Flash Info
... A common approach to performance measurement The WCO has developed many self-assessment tools over the years, to enable Customs administrations to determine where they stand with respect to the adoption of WCO standards and recommended practices, to monitor how the Customs clearance service is being carried out, as well as to measure the impact of reforms and programmes on border processes. For a long time, however, there was no tool to assess Customs efficiency and effectiveness in a comprehensive manner, an...
Issue: WCO News 103 – Issue 1 / 2024
WCO published a Study on the Digitalization of the Certificate of Origin
Flash Info
...In 2022, the WCO Secretariat sent a questionnaire to the Organization’s Members to gather information on certification of origin processes and the digitalization of the certificate of origin (CO). Eighty-four Customs administrations responded, and a Study on the Digitalization of the Certificate of Origin, containing an analysis of the information received, was published in December 2023. Digitalization is a relatively easy concept to understand. It is the process of converting information into a digital format – in other words, into bits and bytes. A digital version of ...
Issue: WCO News 104 – Issue 2 / 2024
Enhancing performance measurement systems using the WCO PMM: the experience of the Eswatini Revenue Service
Dossier: measuring performance
...In 2023, when developing its 2024-2027 Strategic Plan and mapping out its vision for the future and how it was going to get there, the Eswatini Revenue Service (ERS) undertook an analysis of its environment, operations and processes. Four core strategic areas were consequently formulated in the Plan, each having specific priorities and objectives: Employee Experience, Digitalization, Trade Facilitation and Enforcement, and Client Experience and Education. The ERS Performance Management System was examined in light of this decision. A key finding was that performance metrics within th...
Issue: WCO News 105 – Issue 3 / 2024
Harnessing technology: insights from a new WCO survey
Flash Info
...The WCO conducted a survey between April and June 2024 to identify technology adoption trends among Customs administrations, gauge the extent to which innovation is implemented, and ultimately identify gaps and needs in terms of assistance and guidance. It is not the first time that the WCO has consulted Members on the use of technologies. In 2021, it conducted a first survey and presented its results in a paper entitled The role of advanced technolo...
Issue: WCO News 77
API and PNR: two key words on the global security agenda
Dossier
...  In this article, I would like to share my thoughts on Customs’ use of Advance Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Record (PNR) data, which is a vital tool in deterring the threat of terrorism and organized crime, while facilitating international travel.   Terrorism: an ongoing threat Recent violence in several regions show that terrorism continues to be a major concern for the international community. Terrorism is increasingly global in nature and frequently has cross-border implications...
Issue: WCO News 78
Overview of Russia’s Training Centre for NII System experts
Flash Info
...© chingraph – fotolia.com The Russian Customs Academy...
Issue: WCO News 79
Malaysia launches new information system
Dossier
... The Royal Malaysian Customs Department is working on a new information system, known as uCustoms, which will enable effective information-sharing, streamlined procedures, and genuine collaboration among all agencies involved in the clearance process. The Royal Malaysian Customs Department is working on a new information system, known as uCustoms, which will enable effective information-sharing, streamlined procedures, and genuine collaboration among all agencies involved in the clearance process. Customs administrations ...
Issue: WCO News 80
Testing Customs enforcement practices: the ambitious agenda of the COPES Project
Dossier
...The ambitious goal envisaged by the creators of the WCO COPES Project was to initiate a dialogue reflecting on the working methods used to combat fraud, from the identification of an offence to the storage of seized assets, including reporting, collecting and preserving evidence. In addition to the fact that not all Customs administrations enjoy the same prerogatives and the same ability with respect to enforcement, every country deals with infringements of the law using its own specific procedures. In other words, the procedures and practices for investigating, identifying and prose...
Issue: WCO News 82
Data analysis for effective border management – the Canadian experience
Dossier
...Effective border management requires the identification of people and goods, and the collection and analysis of relevant information at the earliest possible point in the travel and trade continuum. The “business” of modern border management organizations has evolved, and is now driven by the active use of advanced data. Customs organizations collect and hold vast amounts of data on travellers and goods. As a result, we must embrace an organizational culture that is equally driven by sound principles of information management so that we may truly take advantage of the large amoun...
Issue: WCO News 83
Anti-corruption Collective Action: the logical next step for Customs
Dossier
... This article outlines the case for Customs administrations to use ‘Collective Action’ to fight corruption and, by doing so, improve Customs policy and its implementation, increase duty and tax collection rates and support government anti-corruption efforts, while creating a fair business environment. This may all sound quite ambitious, but it is also arguably the logical next step for Customs. The WCO has long recognized the deleterious effects of corruption in Customs, and the imperative to take action to prevent, detect and deter its occur...
Issue: WCO News 84
Dossier: Council 2017
Dossier
...Directors General of Customs gathered at WCO Headquarters from 6 to 8 July 2017 to endorse the work done by the Organization covering the period July 2016 to June 2017, and to chart the way forward in the months ahead. This dossier touches on the WCO’s main areas of work – compliance, facilitation, tariff and trade affairs, and capacity building – and presents the progress made and initiatives taken in each of these areas over the 12 month period. It also reports interesting events that occurred during the Council. ...
Issue: WCO News 85
A few words about the theme of the year
Dossier
...Each year, the WCO Secretariat chooses a theme that is relevant to the international Customs community. The slogan chosen for 2018 is “A secure business environment for economic development.” Under this banner, Members of the WCO are encouraged to look at how they can create an environment for businesses that will foster their participation in cross-border trade, and, ultimately, how they can best serve their people and empower their entrepreneurs. Not only is it important for governments to support specific interventions for businesses to flourish, it is equally important to lo...
Issue: WCO News 86
Save the date!
Flash Info
...WCO PICARD Conference, Malatya, Turkey, 9 to 11 October 2018 A Call for Papers was disseminated in February 2018 inviting practitioners, academics and anyone with a keen interest in Customs to submit any research that has been done on one of the following topics: securing the business environment; data analysis; trade facilitation; cross-border e-commerce; connectivity in Customs; and Customs and the fourth industrial revolution. The research work selected by the WCO will be presented at the Conference. More info...
Issue: WCO News 81
Procedures and Facilitation
Dossier
... Capacity building delivery More than 100 national or regional events have been organized to support WCO Members in implementing the Organization’s existing instruments and tools covering various important Customs-related areas, such as risk management, authorized economic operator (AEO) programmes, transit and the Single Window (SW), as well as the use of the Time Release Study (TRS) and accession to the Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC). WTO Trade Facilitat...
Issue: WCO News 87
Dossier: Council 2018
Dossier
...  Directors General of Customs gathered at WCO Headquarters from 28 to 30 June 2018 to endorse the work done by the Organization covering the period July 2017 to June 2018, and to chart the way forward in the months ahead. This dossier touches on the WCO’s main areas of work – compliance, facilitation, tariff and trade affairs, and capacity building – and presents the progress made and initiatives taken in each of these areas over the 12 month period. It also reports interesting events that occurred during the Council.   ...
Issue: WCO News 88
SMART Borders: a few words about the theme of the year
Dossier
...Each year, the WCO Secretariat chooses a theme that is relevant to the international Customs community and its partners. The slogan chosen for 2019 is “SMART borders for seamless Trade, Travel and Transport.” An apt theme as the world increasingly moves towards working smarter, using smart technologies, setting smart goals, and even living in smart cities. ...
Issue: WCO News 89
WCO and SECO begin collaborating to further boost trade facilitation
Flash Info
...The Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and the WCO have launched their first joint comprehensive capacity building programme to deliver capacity building and trade facilitation assistance in Bolivia, Colombia, Peru and Uzbekistan over the next four years. Through this initiative, both organizations hope to reduce overlap and duplication, while strengthening the harmonization of working methods. Funded by SECO and managed by the WCO, the initiative is called the “Global Trade Facilitation Programme” (GTFP), the term “Global” referring to the growing demand fro...
Issue: WCO News 90 October 2019
Dossier: Council 2019
Dossier
...Directors General of Customs gathered at WCO Headquarters from 27 to 29 June 2019, as part of the annual Council Sessions, to consider and endorse the enormous amount of work done by the Organization from July 2018 to June 2019, and to provide strategic direction as well as chart the way forward in the months ahead. This dossier touches on the WCO’s main areas of work – compliance, facilitation, tariff and trade affairs, and capacity building – during the period under review, and presents the progress made and initiatives taken in each of these areas, including interesting ...
Issue: WCO News 91 February 2020
Career Development Programme marks its 10th year
Flash Info
...The Career Development Programme (CDP) celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2019. Funded by Japan Customs, it offers on-the-job training to mid-managerial level Customs officers during a 10 month stint at the WCO Secretariat under the supervision of experts in different areas. So far, 95 officials from 61 Customs administrations have participated in the initiative driven by the opportunity to enhance their professional skills and knowledge, in order to better serve their respective administrations, enabling them to efficiently achieve national goals in the area of international trade....
Issue: WCO News 92 June 2020
Some 1,000 Customs officers have already benefited from the WCO Fellowship Programme
Flash Info
...Since its launch in 1985, the WCO Fellowship Programme has run a total series of 80 sessions, enabling 950 participants from 143 Customs administrations in developing countries to acquire sound knowledge on internationally recognized Customs techniques and practices, and to bolster their management capacities in order to develop their administrations’ modernization efforts. Acknowledging the numerous benefits of this Programme, participants flock in ever increasing numbers year on year to enrol on the Programme. ...
Issue: WCO News 93 October 2020
Certification of origin: latest trends
Flash Info
...The WCO Secretariat has published an update of the Comparative Study on certification of origin, the previous version of which was issued in 2014, in order to take into consideration new trends both on non-preferential and preferential origin… With regard to non-preferential rules of origin, the increasing use or acceptance of electronic certificates of origin (e-CO) is highlighted. The countries issuing the most e-COs are China, the United Ki...
Issue: WCO News 94 February 2021
Environmental enforcement: overview of WCO latest and future activities
Flash Info
...As part of the WCO Environment Programme, the WCO Secretariat is working to solidify the role of Customs in environmental matters. Customs administrations are regularly reminded of the importance of implementing the various environmental agreements in force, existing training material is updated and new material developed, exhaustive capacity building is provided, and enforcement operations are organized. But more still needs to be done to ensure the implementation of the various environmental agreements. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned in 2019 that a “poi...
Issue: WCO News 95 – June 2021
BODATA: a new platform for Customs data analysts
Flash Info
...Niger Customs has developed, with the support of the World Bank, an online collaborative platform for use solely by Customs staff with expertise in the field of Customs data analysis. The platform, called “BODATA”, aims to establish a network of professionals who support each other, collaborate and discuss their experience of using data analysis tools within their respective administrations, thus strengthening their knowledge. Following its launch in March 2021, the platform creates a framework in which participants can assist each other in the development of compu...
Issue: WCO News 96 October 2021
The OIE calls on Customs officials to increase vigilance against African swine fever
Flash Info
...Several countries around the world are facing the devastating effects of the African swine fever (ASF), a deadly pig disease of viral origin. The virus can travel from one country to another through people carrying infected pigs or contaminated pork products or clothing. Customs officials can play a key role in preventing the spread of the disease by setting up effective controls. By doing so, not only are they safeguarding animal health, but also food security and the global pork industry. What is African swine fever (...
Issue: WCO News 97 – Issue 1 / 2022
CLiKC! – A goldmine of learning opportunities for Customs officers
Flash Info
...A wide range of online courses, e-learning modules, videos and webinars are made available to Customs officers via CLiKC!, the WCO learning platform. Thousands of officers have already registered on the platform. Below is an overview of what CLiKC! currently offers, and what is in the pipeline. ...
Issue: WCO News 98 – Issue 2 / 2022
New guide on human capital management
Flash Info
...The workplace has undergone several radical changes in the past few years. According to literature, the traditional Human Resource Management (HRM) function has evolved to include new responsibilities such as an increased attention paid to people’s wellbeing. People are now seen as a ‘’Capital’’ rather than a ‘’Resource’’. Human Capital Management (HCM) is more demanding, and its implementation requires adopting a specific toolset (methods, techniques, models) and acquiring a specific skillset (knowledge, understanding, abilities). To provide guidance to Customs administra...
Issue: WCO News 99- Issue 3 / 2022
A new tool to assess capacities in the enforcement area
Flash Info
...The WCO COPES Programme aims to initiate a dialogue reflecting on the working methods used to combat fraud, from the identification of an offence to the storage of seized assets, including reporting, collecting and preserving evidence. It does not advocate a particular means of enforcing legislation or managing seizures, but presents a range of methods and practices currently used for investigations and prosecutions that is flexible enough to fit all existing administrative or legislative arrangements. The name of the programme is the acronym of the first tool developed by the WCO in...
Issue: WCO News 100 – Issue 1 / 2023
WCO Secretariat develops a dashboard for PCA
Flash Info
...Post-clearance audit (PCA) includes a preparation phase during which data from various sources is collected and then analysed, especially import and export declaration data. The aim is to obtain a comprehensive overview of the auditee’s business structure and, on this basis, identify and analyse specific risk areas of the auditee’s systems. An audit plan would then be drafted, specifying the audit objectives and scope, as well as the methodologies to be used. This audit preparation is generally an abductive process in which, prior to obtaining the auditee’s data by contacti...
Issue: WCO News 101 – Issue 2 / 2023
A guide to developing HS skills
Flash Info
...Classifying goods in the Harmonized System (HS) requires specific knowledge and skills, and, in some cases, a thorough understanding of the rules that govern it. While machine learning technology has enabled the development of various classification tools, these “are designed to assist classification and not to perform classification. So, it stands to reason that the results they produce will only be as good as the people who use them[1]”. ...
Issue: WCO News 102 – Issue 3 / 2023
WCO Council adopts three HS Recommendations
Flash Info
...Three HS Recommendations were adopted by the WCO Council in June 2023. These Recommendations relate to expected amendments and invite Parties to the HS Convention to insert new subheadings in their national statistical nomenclatures as an interim measure until the next version of the HS enters into force on 1 January 2028. ...
Issue: WCO News 103 – Issue 1 / 2024
The updated 2023 version of the STCE Implementation Guide is available
Flash Info
...A new version of the WCO Strategic Trade Control Enforcement Implementation Guide was published in December 2023. Annex I, which provides a list of countries and the non-proliferation and trade control regimes they have committed to, has been updated. The same applies to Annex III – strategic commodities listed in this Annex have been aligned on the 2022 edition of the Harmonized...
Issue: WCO News 104 – Issue 2 / 2024
India’s trade facilitation journey: viewed through the lens of the National Time Release Study
Dossier: measuring performance
...International trade has long played a crucial role in promoting economic development and fostering poverty alleviation among the least developed and developing economies. Countries, economic groupings and the World Trade Organization (WTO), recognizing the beneficial impact of fair and equitable international trade, have been pursuing various initiatives to promote international trade. One such initiative is the successful negotiation and ongoing implementation of the WTO’s Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), encompassing “simplification, modernization, and harmonization of export and i...
Issue: WCO News 105 – Issue 3 / 2024
Cumulative rules of origin: WCO sheds lights on FTA provisions and Customs practices
Flash Info
...Most free trade agreements (FTAs) include provisions related to the cumulation of rules of origin. Simply put, such provisions allow parties to an FTA to use products originating in a country which is another party to the same FTA, or in countries which are not linked by an FTA or are linked by a different FTA, as originating materials for the manufacture of an originating product. To shed lights on cumulation rules, the WCO reviewed the 398 FTAs in force and solicited input from Customs administrations on their cumulation schemes, certification requirements and verification processe...
Issue: WCO News 77
Challenges and opportunities of passenger data systems
Dossier
...Physical inspection of a traveller and a travel document is nowadays only part of the border controls on passengers arriving by air, or any other means of transport. In an increasing number of countries, the rest of the border control process relies on secure electronic data sent before the arrival of the passenger in the country of destination. It all began in July 1988, when the United States (US) government invited, for the very first time, representatives from the airline industry to come together to discuss a new idea – that providing them with information about passengers whi...
Issue: WCO News 78
Latest accessions to WCO instruments
Flash Info
... ...
Issue: WCO News 79
The United Kingdom’s journey towards a modern declaration management service
Dossier
...As far back as 1971, Her Majesty’s Customs and Excise (HMC&E) – as it was then – was looking at how computers could be beneficial to the Customs process. The growth in air traffic and the need to clear goods quickly in the United Kingdom (UK) prompted the development of the London Airport Cargo Electronic Data Processing Scheme (LACES). It was originally an automated system for processing import consignment data, and was the world’s first Customs computer service. An in-house information technology (IT) development initiative along similar lines, but for the maritime envi...
Issue: WCO News 80
Risk management: an upgraded version of the nCEN now available
Dossier
...The WCO digital toolbox contains an extensive variety of instruments and tools to help Customs incorporate information and communications technology (ICT) into their daily work, one of which is the National Customs Enforcement Network (nCEN) application. It has been almost three years since the first version of the nCEN was launched by the WCO, and the application is now used in 20 countries around the world. Drawing on these years of experience, the WCO has developed, in cooperation with all nCEN user countries, a new version of the nCEN application which better addresses the needs ...
Issue: WCO News 82
Border management modernization in New Zealand forges ahead
Dossier
... The New Zealand Customs Service is getting closer to completing a major modernization project, called the Joint Border Management System. The system has two key components: the development and implementation of the New Zealand Trade Single Window; and advanced risk and intelligence capability, including new tools to provide sophisticated data mining, risk rating, and pattern analysis. In February 2015, the New Zealand Customs Service (NZCS) updated WCO News readers on the progress of the (NZD) $104.1 million Joint Borde...
Issue: WCO News 83
Fighting corruption through partnership: the Uruguayan experience
Dossier
...In 2008, a huge corruption scandal involving officials from the public sector and representatives from the private sector shook Uruguay’s foreign trade community, as well as its international trading partners: 11 Customs officials working at Carrasco International Airport and 25 Customs brokers were found guilty of receiving and paying backhanders. This event marked a watershed for the Uruguayan Customs Administration (DNA), publicly and starkly displaying its weaknesses as an institution. It dealt a heavy blow to the DNA’s public credibility, forcing it to take a hard look at it...
Issue: WCO News 84
Reflections on the six areas of work identified by WCO Members as a priority
Dossier
...At the December 2016 WCO Policy Commission session in Moscow, Russia, Members asked the WCO Secretariat to identify the priorities it would focus on. Six areas of work were identified, based on the outcomes of WCO regional meetings: trade facilitation; e-commerce; security; Customs-tax cooperation; illicit financial flows; and performance measurement. The Council, at its July 2017 sessions, agreed with this work programme. In this article, I take up each of these topics in turn. Trade facilitation The WTO Tra...
Issue: WCO News 85
China’s AEO Joint Incentive Programme
Dossier
...In October 2016, a pan-governmental initiative called the AEO Joint Incentive (AJI) Programme was launched in China. Under the new scheme, companies which have met pre-determined standards under the existing AEO programme and have been certified by China Customs as “Advanced Certified Enterprises” (ACE) will be entitled to enjoy as many as 49 facilitation measures provided by China Customs and other government departments. At present, there are about 3,000 ACEs, accounting for about 33.1% of national import and export volumes in China. The AJI Programme involves some 40 governmen...
Issue: WCO News 86
WCO steps up efforts to promote gender equality and diversity
Flash Info
...According to a WCO survey from 2016, gathering approximately 60 responses from WCO Members, on average around 36% of officers employed by Customs administrations are women, with figures varying from 8% to 60% depending on the country. Moreover, the statistics showed that on average around 30% of senior management positions are held by women. These figures indicate that in terms of equal representation in Customs administrations, there is still room for improvement. Promoting gender equality and diversity within Customs is not just a question of fundamental rights, but also a prerequi...
Issue: WCO News 81
Capacity Building
Dossier
... Four areas of activity The WCO continues to provide capacity building (CB) assistance to WCO Members around the world. Highlighted below is a sample of the initiatives taken for each of the specific areas of activity outlined in the WCO Organizational Development Package: Strategic Advisory Support and Delivery; Human Resource Development; Integrity; and Stakeholder Engagement. Strategic Advisory Support and Delivery This activity der...
Issue: WCO News 87
Reflections on the areas of work identified by WCO Members as a priority
Dossier
...At the 2017 Council Sessions, Members endorsed six priorities that the WCO Secretariat would focus on: trade facilitation, e-commerce, security, Customs-tax cooperation, illicit financial flows, and performance measurement. At the June 2018 session, they reviewed the progress related to this work programme and charted the way forward. While doing so, they also discussed possible new areas of work and established a new priority: the revision of the WCO’s revised Kyoto Convention. In this article, I take up each of these topics in turn. ...
Issue: WCO News 88
Serbia’s accession to the common transit procedure has become a real game changer
Dossier
...The Republic of Serbia is geographically located on the trade routes connecting Western and Central Europe to the Southeast region of Europe, especially the countries of the Western Balkans, as well as Turkey, and further away, the countries of Western Asia. To facilitate trade operations and especially transit through the country, the Serbian government is in the process of revitalizing all traffic connections, with special attention being given to roads and railroads. As part of this endeavour, a new transport corridor, funded by the World Bank and called “Corridor X,” is under constr...
Issue: WCO News 89
Light aviation, a new line of work for the WCO
Flash Info
...The WCO and the European Union (EU) are partners in a new project called “COLIBRI,” which aims to build the capacity of Customs administrations to control general aviation on routes between Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa, as well as between the EU and these regions. Background What we know as general aviation comprises all civil aviation activities other than commercial transport: sport or leisure aviation, private aviation, business aviation and aerial work (search and rescue, aerial spraying, m...
Issue: WCO News 90 October 2019
Reflections on WCO Members’ priorities
Dossier
...At the 2019 WCO Council Sessions, Members endorsed a new Strategic Plan for the 2019-2022 period, comprising nine priorities that the WCO Secretariat should focus on: Coordinated Border Management, Safety and Security, the Revised Kyoto Convention, E-Commerce, the Harmonized System, the Capacity Building Strategy, Performance Measurement, Integrity, and Digital Customs and Data Analytics. In this article, I will take up each of these topics in turn, explaining what we have recently done in these areas, and what is yet to come. Coordinated ...
Issue: WCO News 91 February 2020
WCO Environmental Scan: a strategic resource for Customs administrations
Flash Info
...Taking stock of the global trends affecting trade is critical for Customs administrations who have to adapt constantly to industry and consumer practices as well as to emerging risks. To help WCO Members understand the social, political, economic, technological and legal developments as well as the impact that these developments could have on the way Customs operates, the WCO Secretariat has been producing a document for the last 10 years known as the “WCO Environmental Scan.” In 2019, a stronger focus was put on explaining how Customs could respond to the emerging trends, and li...
Issue: WCO News 92 June 2020
Dossier COVID-19: Working with you through these challenging times
Dossier
...When it was announced by the World Health Organization (WHO) that COVID-19 had become a pandemic, the WCO Secretariat’s management team quickly sprang into action, listing the urgent tasks to be done to support Customs administrations in managing the crisis and developing a business continuity plan. Supporting Customs administrations A dedicated webpage was created on the WCO...
Issue: WCO News 93 October 2020
WCO applies new approaches to measuring corruption and integrity
Flash Info
... The WCO has taken several steps to strengthen performance measurement culture among Customs administrations. These have included looking at how performance measurement can be applied to fighting corruption. This article looks at the new approaches to measuring corruption and integrity which have been adopted by the WCO Secretariat team in charge of the Anti-Corruption and Integrity Promotion (A-CIP) Programme, and what lessons can be learned from their experience so far.   Launched in January 2019 with funding from the Norwe...
Issue: WCO News 94 February 2021
New documents added to the WCO E-Commerce Package
Flash Info
...The WCO Council adopted the final documents missing from the WCO E-Commerce Package at its December 2020 Session. The documents are three Annexes to the Framework of Standards on Cross-Border E-Commerce Technical Specifications entitled “Reference Datasets for Cross-Border E-Commerce”, “Revenue Collection Approaches”, and “E-Commerce Stakeholders: Roles and Responsibilities”. ...
Issue: WCO News 96 October 2021
EIA launches Global Environmental Crime Tracker
Flash Info
...The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), a non-governmental organization dedicated to combating environmental crime, has developed the first public-domain online platform collating data on seizures, arrests and prosecution records which contextualize the dynamics of the illegal wildlife trade. The tool uses data collected from publicly available information, including government reports, enforcement agency press releases and non-governmental and academic papers. News media coverage in several languages as well as information provided by partner NGOs is also used to paint a pictu...
Issue: WCO News 97 – Issue 1 / 2022
Leveraging the gamification of learning
Flash Info
...Gamification can be defined as the use of game principals in non-game contexts, including to deliver knowledge and know-how. For example, acquiring points and completing series of tasks or activities to advance to the next level may be used in contexts other than gaming to provide fun and stimulation for the learner. The Korea Customs Service (KCS) and WCO Regional Training Center in Korea (RTC Korea) constantly pondered how to enhance learner engagement by breaking away from conventional ways of delivering knowledge. In 2021, as it was no longer possible to deliver face-to-face trai...
Issue: WCO News 98 – Issue 2 / 2022
Evaluating the impact of training activities: overview of the WCO Secretariat’s proposal
Flash Info
... Most Customs administrations devote a significant portion of their resources to training and competency development activities. The development and delivery of training also feature among the core activities of the WCO.[1] But how can these training activities be assessed to find out whether they are producing the expected results and impact? This very issue was raised at the 2021 session of the Capacity Building Committee, where the WCO Secretariat was requested to develop a comprehensive and consistent evaluation model t...
Issue: WCO News 99- Issue 3 / 2022
A symposia series on greening the HS
Flash Info
... Greening the HS is on the agenda, but how best to do it? To find answers to this question, the WCO is organizing a series of five symposia from October 2022 to January 2023. You may join the events either in-person, at the WCO headquarters in Brussels, or online via zoom. Participation will be free and interpretation offered in English, French and Spanish. The key tool for the identification and classification of goods at the global level is the Harmonized System (HS). The pandemic, the climate crisis, other environmental issues such as the accu...
Issue: WCO News 100 – Issue 1 / 2023
An overview of existing closed user groups on the CENcomm
Flash Info
...  Several closed user groups (CUGs) have been set up in CENcomm, the WCO’s secure, web-based communication system. They aim at enabling information exchange on illicit trade and smuggling activities and/or the sharing of information of interest to field officers and analysts. The focus of the respective groups is described below. If you wish to join a CUG and you fit the user profile then please contact the group owner or the WCO CEN team at cis@wcoomd.org.      ...
Issue: WCO News 101 – Issue 2 / 2023
Operation SEASCAPE 2: results and review
Flash Info
...An operation dubbed Seascape 2 to combat counterfeiting and piracy, made possible by funding from Japan Customs, was organized by the WCO Secretariat in June 2022. I...
Issue: WCO News 102 – Issue 3 / 2023
Must read: How will the State think with the assistance of ChatGPT?
Flash Info
... The Foundation for International Development Studies and Research has published a working paper[1], written by Thomas Cantens of the WCO Secretariat’s Research Unit, that examines the implications of the use of generative artificial inte...
Issue: WCO News 103 – Issue 1 / 2024
Customs Engaging Traditional and New Partners with Purpose – Some thoughts about the theme of the year
Dossier: Engaging partners
...Each year, the WCO Secretariat invites the Organization’s Members to focus on a theme it considers critical to the effective and efficient delivery of their missions. In 2024, under the slogan “Customs Engaging Traditional and New Partners with Purpose”, the Secretariat is inviting Customs administrations both to reaffirm longstanding partnerships and to boldly forge new alliances. International trade is critical to all economies and societies. Our global interdependencies became more evident with the COVID-19 pandemic: the specialized imports essential to the production of vac...
Issue: WCO News 104 – Issue 2 / 2024
Namibia’s experience of conducting its first Time Release Study
Dossier: measuring performance
...Article 7.6.1 of the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) encourages World Trade Organization Members “to measure and publish their average release time of goods periodically and in a consistent manner, using tools such as, inter alia, the Time Release Study (TRS) of the World Customs Organization”. Developed in the early 1990s and regularly updated since then to provide a globally accepted methodology to measure the actual time required for the release and/or clearance of goods, the TRS has acquired new significance with the advent of the TFA in many countries. One such country ...
Issue: WCO News 105 – Issue 3 / 2024
Fighting illicit trade: an overview of the WCO’s contribution
Dossier: Illicit Trade
...The first time that any authority attempted to put an obstacle in the way of humans moving goods or themselves across territory by imposing restrictions, borders, and Customs controls, illicit trade was born, explained journalist and writer Moisés Naím while presenting his latest book.[1] Many scholars also point to today’s relations between illicit traders and the state as “simply the latest stage in an age-old process, even as forms of social tolerance, forms of smuggling, regulatory norms, demand, and the nature and types of activities may have ...
Issue: WCO News 77
Indonesia’s experience in building its Customs Passenger Data Exchange System
Dossier
...Indonesian Customs began working on the electronic exchange of passenger data between airlines and Customs in early 2008, as part of their implementation of an Advance Passenger Information (API) transmission system. At that time, passenger processing techniques consisted of screening API data transmitted from airlines’ departure control systems via the existing Société Internationale de Télécommunication Aéronautiques (SITA) communication network, and requesting Passenger Name Record (PNR) data for specific flights to be provided by email or on paper. The new API sys...
Issue: WCO News 78
Council 2015
Dossier
...Directors General of Customs gathered at WCO Headquarters from 11 to 13 June 2015 to endorse the work done by the Organization covering the period July 2014 to June 2015, and to chart the way forward in the months ahead. This dossier touches on the WCO’s main areas of work – compliance, facilitation, tariff and trade affairs, and capacity building – and present progress made and initiatives taken during the 12 months period in each of these areas. It also reports interesting events that occurred during the Council. ...
Issue: WCO News 79
UNI-PASS: Korea’s Customs modernization tool
Dossier
...The environment surrounding Customs administrations is changing rapidly. The conclusion by the World Trade Organization (WTO) of its Trade Facilitation Agreement in December 2013 demands that governments make further efforts to simplify trade procedures and ensure more transparency in trade regulations. This is further strengthened by the WCO’s decision to dedicate 2016 to the promotion of ‘Digital Customs’ in 2016 which encourages Customs to go down the road of modernization. The Korean economy has developed at a rapid pace since the 1970s. For instance, its trade volume, whic...
Issue: WCO News 80
Switzerland addresses the traffic in cultural goods
Dossier
...The Swiss art market, being one of the largest in the world, inevitably attracts objects of dubious provenance. Some of these stolen or plundered objects not sold directly on the Swiss market are held in Switzerland pending their insertion in the legal distribution system, whether in Switzerland or elsewhere. One of the reasons why Switzerland is a destination and transit country for cultural goods is that for many years it has offered storage and trading facilities which helped to sustain not only the substantial local market, but also, above all, the international market. Du...
Issue: WCO News 82
Mirror analysis, a risk analysis support tool for Customs administrations
Dossier
...Twenty-first century challenges place demands upon Customs administrations throughout the world, particularly in developing countries. Customs services must, therefore, be effective and efficient if they are to meet their revenue and trade facilitation targets, the achievement of which requires substantial investment in reforms, modernization, and continued improvement. Côte d’Ivoire Customs is aware of these challenges, and has introduced a range of reforms to ensure its thorough modernization. It is now an exemplary, up-to-date and high-performing service. The modernization prog...
Issue: WCO News 83
Collective action to promote integrity in the maritime sector
Dossier
...Companies operating in global supply chains face a number of systemic corruption issues, such as demands for ‘facilitation’ payments or extortion for bribes, when trading goods across borders. National anti-bribery legislation in many countries and extraterritorial regulations, such as the United States’ Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the United Kingdom’s Bribery Act, have put pressure on international business to take a firm stance against corruption. However, any company that implements zero tolerance internal policies against bribery and facilitation payments risks losing busi...
Issue: WCO News 84
Tariff and Trade Affairs
Dossier
...  All strategic goals with regard to Tariff and Trade Affairs (TTA) have been successfully accomplished over the past year. This was evidenced by the significant workload of the WCO Secretariat’s TTA Directorate in 2016, with 45 days of meetings held, more than 4,000 pages of documents prepared, more than 300 items examined, and more than 400 decisions taken. Sixty-nine TTA missions were also conducted during 2016/2017 for a total of 359 days, which is a few days short of a year. Cross-cutting activities: the WCO Revenue Pack...
Issue: WCO News 85
India pursues a broader trade facilitation agenda
Dossier
...Countries have to establish a National Committee on Trade Facilitation (NCTF) in terms of their commitment to implementing the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) that was concluded by the members of the World Trade Organization (WTO). In this article, India explains its NCTF implementation journey and how it has structured its NCTF, all guided by its vision to transform India’s trade ecosystem by reducing the time and cost of doing business.   The TFA came into force on 22 February 2017 after having been ratified by twothirds of the WTO’s...
Issue: WCO News 86
Dossier: The Harmonized System from every angle
Dossier
...As the HS celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, we decided to gather together a number of articles explaining how the HS is managed and used, and questioning how it can be improved and whether a structural revision is now necessary. ...
Issue: WCO News 81
Compliance and Enforcement
Dossier
... Security Programme The Punta Cana Resolution, released in December 2015, emphasizes the key role that Customs administrations play in tackling illicit cross-border movements of goods that could ultimately support terrorism and terrorist financing. To support WCO Members in building or enhancing their border security capacity, the WCO recently launched the Border Security Initiative (BSI). WCO Members, following a specific WCO or United Nations (UN) border security-related assessment mission, can request techn...
Issue: WCO News 87
Tariff and Trade Affairs
Dossier
... Cross-cutting activities WCO Revenue Package and advance rulings The WCO continued to assist its Members in the implementation of the Revenue Package, which provides guidance and best practices for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of revenue collection, as well as in the implementation of an advance ruling system for classification and origin, as required under the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) of the World Trade Organization (WTO). ...
Issue: WCO News 88
Countries in East Africa cut transit time
Dossier
... The implementation of a real-time electronic cargo monitoring system to track goods transported in transit enables countries in East Africa to cut transit time, prevent cargo theft and boost revenue collection In the East African region, the management of transit operations across the five land-locked developing countries of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan was, for a long time, done via a convoy system, characterized by paper based controls, transit log sheets, physical esco...
Issue: WCO News 89
Norad and the WCO launch the Anti-Corruption and Integrity Promotion Programme
Flash Info
...In January 2019, the WCO launched the Anti-Corruption and Integrity Promotion (A-CIP) Programme to assist selected WCO Member Customs administrations in implementing measures to combat corruption and promote integrity in accordance with the 10 measures listed in the WCO Revised Arusha Declaration on good governance and integrity in Customs. Unpacking the programme Funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad), the A-CIP Programme will run for five years. It was designed around lessons lea...
Issue: WCO News 90 October 2019
Tariff and Trade Affairs
Dossier
... WCO Revenue Package and advance rulings The WCO continued to assist its Members in implementing the Revenue Package, which provides guidance and best practices for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of revenue collection, as well as in implementing an advance ruling system for classification and origin, as required under the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA). Assistance was provided to Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Eswatini, Lesotho, Liberia, Mauritius and Niger to assist them in developing ...
Issue: WCO News 91 February 2020
Customs fostering Sustainability for People, Prosperity and the Planet: A few words about the theme of the year
Dossier
...Each year, the WCO Secretariat chooses a theme that is relevant to the international Customs community and its partners. The slogan chosen for 2020 is “Customs fostering Sustainability for People, Prosperity and the Planet.” An apt theme as 2019 was the year where issues such as sustainability and climate concerns dominated public debate, with Oxford Dictionaries declaring “climate emergency” the word of the year for 2019. The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development recognizes international trade as an engine for inclusive economic growth and poverty reduction,...
Issue: WCO News 92 June 2020
From reactivity to proactivity, for a safer and more prosperous world
Dossier
...Since December 2019, when the first cases where identified, the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has spread with dramatic consequences for people, governments, and companies. Although we will only be able to make a preliminary assessment of its full consequences in the coming months, most analysts agree that the crisis will have a long-term impact. All the professionals that have taken risks for the benefit of communities during what is one of the major challenges the world has faced in the past decades must be warmly praised. Some, such as health and care professionals, fully ...
Issue: WCO News 93 October 2020
Dossier: Customs Valuation, shedding light on a technical but critical topic for Customs
Dossier
...Adam Smith, author of “The Wealth of Nations”, wrote that Customs duties have been “in use for time immemorial”. To a large extent, this assertion is correct. The practice of taxing commerce is as old as commerce itself. And where a tax must be collected, there will be disputes over rates and methods. Imported products were easier to tax than domestic output, and so import duties were among the earliest taxes. The two most prominent types of duties that developed over the course of world history were the “specific” Customs duty and the “ad valorem” Customs duty. With ...
Issue: WCO News 94 February 2021
Data Analytics course available on CLiKC!
Flash Info
...An online data analytics training course on is now available in English and French via the WCO CLiKC! Platform in the eLearning section. Developed thanks to Korea Customs funding, the course is for Customs officials who wish to become entry-level data analysts. It is structured to  build a comprehensive knowledge of a data science, to acquire practical knowledge and skills on handling data and to learn Python programming and the basics of machine learning models. More information https://clikc....
Issue: WCO News 95 – June 2021
Putting people first
Dossier
...The WCO has long been promoting Customs as a highly professional body, with specific knowledge, competencies and skills, which is fully committed to meeting the needs of governments and trade operators in terms of productivity, efficiency and quality of services. A key characteristic of such an organization is that it is people-centric. In order words, it takes care of its employees and values their happiness and well-being. The challenge is not only to ensure that Customs administrations have the right person in the right job at the right time. Attracting talented people, enabling e...
Issue: WCO News 96 October 2021
Now is the time for implementation
Dossier: E-Commerce
...In many countries, statistics show a strong uptake of online sales and a big increase in the market share of online as opposed to offline retail since the start of the pandemic. In COVID-19 and e-commerce: a global review, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development reported that Latin America’s online marketplace Mercado Libre, for example, sold twice as many items per day in the second quarter of 2020 as during the same period in the previous year; African e-commerce platform Jumia reported a 50% jump in transactions during the first six months of 2020. The th...
Issue: WCO News 97 – Issue 1 / 2022
A few words about the WCO theme for 2022
Dossier: Destination....Data!
...Each year, the WCO Secretariat chooses a theme that it deems relevant to the international Customs community and its partners. In 2022, it is inviting Customs administrations to “Scale up Customs Digital Transformation by Embracing a Data Culture and Building a Data Ecosystem”. “Digital Transformation” is a catch-all term for describing the implementation of new technologies and processes to improve business operations. Data culture, simply put, means an organizational culture that prioritizes data-driven decision-making. It empowers people to ask questions, challenge ideas a...
Issue: WCO News 98 – Issue 2 / 2022
Supporting the green transition: challenges and way forward
Dossier: Supporting the Green Transition
...The WCO is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year and is taking this opportunity to look back at what it has achieved as well as at ways of responding to current challenges. One pressing issue is how to support the transition to a climate-neutral economy. At numerous events, including climate and biodiversity summits, representatives of national governments and international organizations have highlighted how imperative it is for trade to support environmental action and declare its readiness to take action. They have defended the idea that trade policies should support a green industri...
Issue: WCO News 99- Issue 3 / 2022
WCO launches an exploratory Study Project on a possible strategic review of the HS
Flash Info
... The WCO Secretariat has set up a team to study the possibilities for potential improvements to the HS and its tools. The team will collect views and suggestions from stakeholders. Details of how you can get involved in the HS Study can be found at the end of this article. The Harmonized System Convention, and the Harmonized System it governs, came into force in 1988 with the intent to provide greater uniformity for the classification of globally traded commodity groups. Since the introduction of the HS, its use has spread globally. As of 1 Octo...
Issue: WCO News 100 – Issue 1 / 2023
Supporting trade integration in Africa : a look at the EU-WCO Rules of Origin Africa Programme
Flash Info
... In December 2021, the WCO Secretariat and the European Commission signed a partnership agreement establishing a programme on the implementation and application of rules of origin in Africa, commonly dubbed the EU-WCO Rules of Origin Africa Programme. This article provides an overview of the activities undertaken as part of this Programme up to January 2023 – that is, just over a year since its inception. The EU-WCO Rules of Origin (RoO) Africa Programme aims to support Customs administrations on the African continent to improve their capacity ...
Issue: WCO News 101 – Issue 2 / 2023
Second edition of the Compendium on Gender Equality and Diversity in Customs
Flash Info
... Eleven administrations contributed to the second edition of the Compendium on Gender Equality and Diversity in Customs. A short overview of their contributions is provided below. Argentina Customs Argentina’s Federal Administration of Public Revenues (AFIP) presents Argentina’s regulations relating to gender and diversity, as well as the role and activities of its Directorate for the Coordination of Gender and Human Rights Policies, which was created in June...
Issue: WCO News 102 – Issue 3 / 2023
Customs officials’ papers are published in the Borders in Globalization Review
Flash Info
...As part of its PICARD Programme, the WCO Secretariat has established a partnership with the Borders in Globalization (BIG) research programme of the University of Victoria, Canada, enabling some of the Customs officials who have submitted academic or policy research papers to the WCO Secretariat to be supervised by professors/lecturers of the University, and to publish their papers in the Borders in Globalization Review. The Spring & Summer 2023 edition of the Review includes two su...
Issue: WCO News 103 – Issue 1 / 2024
Partnership with private sector leads to enhanced certainty in the classification of products in Brazil
Dossier: Engaging partners
... Brazil is on the cusp of a groundbreaking transformation, with the rollout of an upgraded version 2.0 of its Foreign Trade Single Window, the Portal Único Siscomex. A core innovation within the Portal is the introduction of a catalogue describing products using pre-defined attributes. The new system has been made possible thanks to an exceptional partnership between private and public entities who worked hand in hand to redefine the way products are identified for cross-border trade. Brazil’s Portal Único Siscomex is designed as a single sys...
Issue: WCO News 104 – Issue 2 / 2024
Relieving congestion at land borders: joint TRS sets South Africa and Eswatini on the right track
Dossier: measuring performance
... The Oshoek/Ngwenya border The border posts connecting the towns of Oshoek in South Africa and Ngwenya in Eswatini are known for long queues of trucks which end up blocking road traffic and negatively impacting both travellers and traders. Around 120 trucks per day flow into Oshoek, transporting mainly processed coal and minerals (30%), manufactured goods (15%) and sugar (12%), while approximately 300 trucks per day flow into Ngwenya, primarily carrying coal and minerals (50%), and household and retail goods (25%)...
Issue: WCO News 105 – Issue 3 / 2024
No Entry: How CBP is fighting to keep African Swine Fever out of the United States
Dossier: Illicit Trade
...In July 2021, while most of the world was focused on COVID-19, a dangerous foreign animal disease was discovered in the Western Hemisphere. African swine fever, a highly contagious and deadly viral disease that affects swine, was discovered in the Dominican Republic and then Haiti. But the disease, which was first documented in Kenya in 1909, was already on U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s radar. CBP’s agriculture specialists had been on high alert since 2018, when African swine fever was first detected in China, the No. 1 pork producing nation in the world, and then soon after emer...
Issue: WCO News 77
The French API-PNR programme
Dossier
... The French Advance Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Record (PNR) programme generated considerable media coverage in the wake of the tragic events in France in early 2015. The plan to implement an automated passenger information processing system in France, however, dates back much further. The programme began with publication of the Anti-terrorism Law – Law No.2006-64 of 23 January 2006 on combating terrorism and laying down miscellaneous provisions on security and border controls. This law transposed European Council Directive 2...
Issue: WCO News 78
WCO Members confer and act on trade facilitation, e-commerce, and security at the June 2015 WCO Council sessions
Dossier
... During the 125th/126th Sessions of the WCO Council, which took place in June of this year, Heads of Customs administrations representing the 180 Members of the WCO conferred on many issues, including but not limited to, trade facilitation technical assistance and capacity building under the WCO Mercator Programme, e-commerce, and security, especially the adoption of a third pillar to the WCO SAFE Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade (SAFE Framework) on its 10th anniversary. In this article, I take up each of these topics in turn. ...
Issue: WCO News 79
SARS’ experience regarding the impact of digitalization on human resources
Dossier
... Context for change Driven by the need to ensure it would be able to address the increased demands of the global trading landscape, with regard to both financial and social security, accession to international instruments – specifically those developed by the WCO, pressures from the trade to improve service levels, and the burgeoning demand to engage cross-border regional integration and international exchange of data, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) realized the need to revitalize its Customs functions....
Issue: WCO News 80
Hong Kong Customs: equipped to tackle cybercrime
Dossier
...The rapid development of the Internet in the past decade has drastically and positively changed every aspect of our lives. People, in almost all cities across the world, are today virtually connected with each 24/7. But thanks to its speed, expediency and anonymity, internet-based technology has also become one of the key facilitators for a vast range of criminal activities, many falling within the remit of Customs enforcement actions, including the trade in counterfeit products, goods subject to prohibitions and restrictions, and the smuggling of excisable goods, such as cigarettes and alc...
Issue: WCO News 82
Data analysis in risk management: Singapore Customs’ perspective
Dossier
...As a partner of business and a guardian of trade, Singapore Customs strives to strike a fine balance between making sure sufficient controls are in place to interdict illicit trade, and ensuring that legitimate trade continues to flow unhindered. This requires Singapore Customs to be adept at data analysis, which strengthens enforcement and boosts compliance by the trading community. Accurate profiling and targeting enhance the effectiveness of Singapore Customs’ compliance checks. This also sends a clear message to would-be smugglers that despite the huge volume of goods crossing ...
Issue: WCO News 83
Renewing Guatemala’s Customs service
Dossier
... The year 2015 left an indelible imprint on Guatemala’s history. President Otto Pérez Molina and Vice President Roxana Baldetti were arrested over their alleged involvement in La Línea or “the line,” the name given to a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme involving the country’s top authorities, including the Superintendence of Tax Administration (SAT), in which importers paid bribes to avoid Customs duty or were offered greatly reduced tariffs in exchange for kickbacks that were shared among dozens of government officials. Although th...
Issue: WCO News 84
Procedures and Facilitation
Dossier
......
Issue: WCO News 85
Integrated border control between Peru and Chile
Dossier
... After six years of intensive efforts, on 16 August 2017, Peru and Chile opened their first joint integrated border control centres. This new system aims to facilitate the movement of people, baggage and motor vehicles, and is an example of the practical implementation of the coordinated border management concept promoted by the WCO and other international organizations such as the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. On 19 January 2011, a “Framework Agreement for the Implementation of Integrated Control and Cooperation Systems ...
Issue: WCO News 86
The Harmonized System, 30 years old and still going strong!
Dossier
...The Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System, generally referred to as “Harmonized System” or simply the “HS”, is seldom mentioned in the pages of this magazine. It is, however, one of the WCO’s flagship instruments. One can even say that it is the backbone of the WCO. Being a nomenclature of transportable goods, it has become over the years a universal language for identifying and coding merchandise being traded internationally, with almost all the world’s economies using it as a basis for their Customs tariffs and for the collection of trade statistic...
Issue: WCO News 81
Signing ceremonies
Dossier
...During the 2016 Council sessions, the WCO signed several Memoranda of Understanding (MoU): First, one with the Federal Customs Service of the Russian Federation on the creation of a Regional Centre of Best Practices for the training of specialists on progressive technologies used in Customs work; Second, one with Ukraine Customs on the establishment of a Regional Dog Training Centre in the city of Khmelnytskyi; Third, one with the Smithsonian Institution to strengthen cooperation between the two Organizations, and to boost collaboration between Customs and cul...
Issue: WCO News 87
Procedures and Facilitation
Dossier
...  New pubLications ...
Issue: WCO News 88
From “red tape” to “red carpet”: how the Brazilian AEO Programme has brought Customs procedures to an entire new level
Dossier
...The Brazilian Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Programme can be considered one of the most advanced and successful in the world. Indeed, from the outset, the Programme has featured some prominent characteristics. Among other things, an internationally renowned consulting firm was involved in its design, technical and financial support was provided by private sector entities wishing to join it, and it was backed by high ranked officials from the Customs management team and the Federal government. In Brazil, the AEO Programme has strategic institutional value, and its implementation ...
Issue: WCO News 89
A new CLiKC! platform
Flash Info
...The WCO Secretariat is about to launch a new version of the CLiKC! learning platform, in order to provide users with a comprehensive picture of the Organization’s training material and opportunities available to its Members. This initiative follows the endorsement by the WCO Capacity Building Committee, in 2018, of a revised training strategy, which calls for the adoption of a blended learning approach that combines traditional classroom teaching practices and online technology, allowing trainers to dedicate more time to practical elements in the classroom, and trainees to have a b...
Issue: WCO News 90 October 2019
Procedures and Facilitation
Dossier
... New publications E-Commerce Package AEO Compendium 2019 Edition ...
Issue: WCO News 91 February 2020
Ensuring effective implementation of various environmental agreements is key to shaping a sustainable future
Dossier
...The global Customs theme for 2020 reads “Customs Fostering Sustainability for People, Prosperity and the Planet,” and, although the three focus areas are inter-linked, each warrants separate consideration due to their wide-ranging scope. It is thought-provoking to note that global GDP is estimated at 66.9 trillion US dollars, but the monetary value of nature, in other words the economic contribution of the natural world, at 145.1 trillion US dollars.[1] The earth and its resources are finite, and it is becoming exponentially more challe...
Issue: WCO News 92 June 2020
Customs in the face of COVID-19: the case of Uganda
Dossier
... After 14 years of service, Kateshumbwa Dicksons left the Uganda Revenue Authority a few weeks ago. In this article, he shares the experience of Uganda Customs in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the year 2000, Uganda has experienced repeated outbreaks of viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHF): five Ebola VHF outbreaks, and three Marburg VHF outbreaks. Each of these outbreaks is said to have case fatality rates between 25 to 90%. None of them, however, slipped into such a crisis as we have witnessed with COVID-19! Towards the end of 2019,...
Issue: WCO News 93 October 2020
WTO Customs Valuation Agreement: objectives, requirements and challenges
Dossier
...This year marks the 25th anniversary of the entry into force of the WTO Customs Valuation Agreement (CVA). The Agreement seeks to tackle Customs clearance delays resulting from valuation verification and to ensure that the Customs value of goods entering a market are properly assessed to reflect the actual price of the goods as agreed between the buyer and seller. Beginnings It is not the first multilateral regulation in the area of valuation. The first attempt took place under Article VII of the ...
Issue: WCO News 94 February 2021
Recovery, Renewal and Resilience: a few words about the WCO theme for 2021
Dossier
...Each year, the WCO Secretariat chooses a theme that is relevant to the international Customs community and its partners. The slogan chosen for 2021 is “Customs bolstering Recovery, Renewal and Resilience for a sustainable supply chain”. It invites Customs administrations to contribute to finding a way out of the ongoing crisis generated by the COVID-19 pandemic and to rebuilding the economy against the new backdrop of greater focus on social distancing in daily life, working from home, digitization and the upsurge in e-commerce. The collective efforts by the global Customs community to ...
Issue: WCO News 95 – June 2021
Untapping the potential of human resource management in Customs
Dossier
...Customs administrations, due to the nature of their missions and to the fact that they are operating in an environment marked by complex interactions, have to constantly engage in modernization efforts. In other words, they need to regularly update and upgrade their operating models and working methods. While strategies, systems, processes and tools are key in this endeavour, the driving force behind the performance of Customs operations remains Customs’ human capital. As we have been reminded during the current health pandemic, an adaptive workforce is a Customs administration’s...
Issue: WCO News 96 October 2021
Reviewing the e-commerce clearance process: the experience of Argentina
Dossier: E-Commerce
...The WCO defines cross-border e-commerce as “All transactions which are effected digitally through a computer network (e.g. the internet), and result in physical goods flows subject to Customs formalities”.[1] Like many countries, when talking about cross-border e-commerce shipments, Argentina Customs includes shipments transported by postal operators and express couriers. In this article, we will not describe the procedures in place to process these specific flows of goods. Interested readers can consult the ...
Issue: WCO News 97 – Issue 1 / 2022
Making digital collaboration possible: the WCO Data Model – latest developments and implementation guidance
Dossier: Destination....Data!
...In October 2021, the World Trade Organization (WTO) reported that despite COVID-related interruptions, container throughput in international ports remains at or near record levels[1]. Even if the growth in cross-border movement of goods is not evenly distributed among countries, it is no longer feasible for any border control agency such as Customs to manually process import, export and transit processes without creating major disruptions to cross-...
Issue: WCO News 98 – Issue 2 / 2022
The crucial role of the WCO in trade liberalization of climate-friendly goods
Dossier: Supporting the Green Transition
... The National Board of Trade Sweden recently published a report entitled Trade and Climate Change – Promoting climate goals with a WTO agreement, which shows that trade policy-makers can do more to contribute to the promotion of climate goals. Customs administrations, through the World Customs Organization (WCO), have a crucial role to play, writes Emilie Eriksson, legal adviser and co-author of the...
Issue: WCO News 99- Issue 3 / 2022
New e-learning course on AEO validation available to Customs and trade professionals
Flash Info
...To help meet the growing demand from Customs administrations for support in developing Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) programmes and, more specifically, in setting up an AEO validation procedure, the WCO Secretariat has devised a new e-learning course which is available to Customs on the WCO CLiKC! platform and to trade professionals on the WCO Academy platform. The course takes approximately three hours to complete and has been designed to be interactive. It includes six modules which provide learners with a clear understanding of the objectives of an AEO programme and of how AE...
Issue: WCO News 100 – Issue 1 / 2023
WCO develops a model to assess maturity of leadership programmes
Flash Info
... Leadership competencies and skills oil the wheels of organizational progress and success. To support its Members in this field, the WCO has developed a Leadership and Management Development Programme. This article introduces the Maturity Model, one of the tools developed as part of this programme. Leadership as Partnership Academic researcher Russ S. Moxley, in an article entitled Leadership as Partnership, explains: “Leadership is typically understood as some...
Issue: WCO News 101 – Issue 2 / 2023
CLiKC! – new courses and new design
Flash Info
...New e-learning modules are available to Customs officers via CLiKC!, the WCO learning platform. Since April 2023, the platform also features a brand-new design that is both modern and intuitive, and an improved search function which allows users to quickly find the content they need. Last but not least, users can now download the CLiKC! mobile application and learn anywhere at any time on their phone, whether they are connected to the internet or not. Twenty-five mobile-optimized courses and videos from the CLiKC! catalogue are already avail...
Issue: WCO News 102 – Issue 3 / 2023
Unveiling the WCO DM Version 4.0.0
Flash Info
...The WCO has just released Version 4.0.0 of the WCO Data Model (WCO DM v4). A compilation of clearly structured, harmonized, standardized and reusable sets of data definitions and electronic messages to meet the operational and legal requirements of cross-border regulatory agencies, the WCO DM is a critical tool, enabling IT systems’ interoperability, enhancing data quality and promoting the adoption of a data culture within Customs administrations. One of the standout features of WCO DM v4 is the introduction of the ...
Issue: WCO News 103 – Issue 1 / 2024
Strengthening E-Commerce Compliance: overview of Brazil Programa Remessa Conforme
Dossier: Engaging partners
...Brazil’s Customs Authority and private sector representatives worked together to develop a compliance programme dedicated to e-commerce companies. Launched in August 2023, the programme is a testimony to how Customs-Business partnership can shape regulatory frameworks and foster innovative solutions. The authors hope it will inspire countries grappling with the challenges of cross-border e-commerce in adopting a similar approach and compliance scheme. For some years now, the Global Environmental Scan published by the WCO has underscored the importance of e-commerce on the ...
Issue: WCO News 104 – Issue 2 / 2024
Assessing China’s trade facilitation progress – observations from an independent institution
Dossier: measuring performance
... Beijing Re-code Trade Security and Facilitation Research Centre, an independent not-for-profit research institute, has been evaluating trade facilitation progress made in China since 2016. The findings of this annual evaluation are published in the Trade Facilitation Annual Report of China (in both Chinese and English). This article is based on the findings of a total of six reports from 2019 to 2024. On 4 September 2015, China became the 16th WTO Member to ratify the World Trade Organization’s Trade Facilitation Agreement ...
Issue: WCO News 105 – Issue 3 / 2024
Combating wildlife trafficking: Nigeria Customs Service ‒ journey and success
Dossier: Illicit Trade
...Nigeria signed the CITES Convention on 4 May 1974, and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has been in charge of enforcing its provisions ever since. NCS did not serve this function well for many years, but this has now changed. A toothless dog Before 2021, Nigeria featured prominently in reports on wildlife crime as a source, transit, and destination country for wildlife and timber trafficking. Nigeria was also mentioned as the originating or departure country in many wildlife seizure reports issued by nationa...
Issue: WCO News 77
Japan’s new approach to Passenger Name Records
Dossier
...A record high of 13.4 million foreign passengers visited Japan during the last year, according to statistics compiled by the Japan Tourism Agency. This number has doubled in the last three years; a trend which is expected to continue and may reach more than 20 million in 2020 when the Olympic and Paralympic Games are held in Tokyo. Moreover, Japan Customs has seized a number of illicit goods carried by air travellers, and effective control is required to cope with this challenge. In addition, there is an urgent need to further enhance border controls, especially in the light of recen...
Issue: WCO News 78
Tariff and Trade Affairs
Dossier
... New publications New tools have rec...
Issue: WCO News 79
eTIR, the new digital TIR carnet
Dossier
... The TIR system is going paperless. The new eTIR system is based on real-time digital data exchange between transport operators, Customs authorities, TIR system guaranteeing organizations, and the United Nations. A pilot project is currently being implemented between Iran and Turkey, with the eTIR system expected to expand geographically from there over the coming years, reducing international transit costs and increasing security. The TIR system – an acronym for Transports Internationaux Routiers (International Road Transport) – is ...
Issue: WCO News 81
Customs Brokers: An overview of the outcomes of the WCO Study Report
Focus
... In order to provide a clear understanding of practices relating to the role of brokers, including institutional frameworks and the regulatory/licensing requirements, and to further provide guidance to its Members, the WCO developed a Study Report on Customs Brokers. Besides reviewing Members’ practices, the Study, which is based on the results of a survey and research carried out by the WCO Secretariat, provides some policy and organizational considerations to serve as a reference point for Customs administrations who are considering the establishment or ad...
Issue: WCO News 80
Highlights on the trade in non-authorized and counterfeit pesticides
Dossier
...The global trade in illegal pesticides is growing, evidenced by the increase in the number of seizures and incidents around the world related to such products. The increase is not only due to better awareness by controlling authorities of the phenomenon, but also to the fact that nowadays the illicit actors involved in the production and distribution of these goods operate on a global scale. Following a 12-day operation organized by the European Police Office (EUROPOL) in November 2015, 100 cases of infringements were detected during 350 inspections at major ports and airports in sev...
Issue: WCO News 82
API-PNR: an overview of the French system and the challenges faced
Dossier
... The European context European Union (EU) Directive 2016/681 on the use of Passenger Name Record (PNR) data was adopted on 27 April 2016. It requires EU Member States to collect and use both PNR data and Advanced Passenger Information (API) “for the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of terrorist offences and serious crime.” The Member States have two years to transpose the Directive into their national law, by which time it must be ready for implementation. The Directive stipulates that ...
Issue: WCO News 83
Perceived corruption leads to actual corruption
Dossier
...According to a survey conducted in a Latin American country on behalf of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the perception of corruption leads to actual corruption. The survey showed a ‘statistically significant’ increase in respondents’ willingness to bribe a police officer after they were told that corruption was on the rise in their country. Respondents were 28% more likely to bribe a police officer than the control group, who were not given such information as part of the experiment. This supports the notion that corruption is a ‘self-fulfilling prop...
Issue: WCO News 84
Capacity building
Dossier
... Strategic advisory support and delivery Strategic advisory support and delivery entail needs-assessments through diagnostic missions, the development of comprehensive strategic plans, the implementation of WCO standards, and the regular monitoring of performance indicators. During the 2016/2017 period, the WCO conducted 45 strategic advisory support missions. Key WCO capacity building tools to support these missions and actions include the Diagnostic Framework, a Risk Management Diagnostic, a Human Resource Management Diagnos...
Issue: WCO News 85
Revisiting the “Trading Across Borders” category of the World Bank’s Doing Business index
Dossier
... Procomex is an alliance of Brazilian companies and private sector organizations which aims to support the Customs modernization process. In this article, Procomex explains why it decided to replicate the survey used by the World Bank to evaluate the performance of the country when it comes to ease of trading across borders, and what the exercise revealed. What makes an economy internationally competitive? There are a number of responses out there. The World Economic Forum, for example, defines competitiveness as the institutions, policies and fa...
Issue: WCO News 86
An HS expert shares some personal reflections
Dossier
...While the Harmonized System, or HS, celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, it is, in fact, much older because it was developed over several years starting in the 1970s. Having worked on HS matters for at least 40 years, both within Danish Customs and at the WCO Secretariat, I have been in the fortunate position to have closely followed its development, implementation, maintenance and use for a long time, up until my official retirement in 2017. This article provides me with an opportunity to share some personal reflections on the HS. ...
Issue: WCO News 87
Compliance and Enforcement
Dossier
... new publications Security Programme ...
Issue: WCO News 88
Burkina Faso makes strides in implementing key trade facilitation measures
Dossier
...The Customs Administration of Burkina Faso recently implemented two key measures to facilitate trade: the establishment of an Advance Ruling Mechanism on tariff classification, and the performance of Time Release Studies. Both of these measures are prescribed in the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Agreement on Trade Facilitation, namely in Article 3 and 7.6 respectively. “Advance rulings” generally refer to the prior decisions (“rulings”) issued by Customs on the classification, origin and valuation of commodities prior to their importation or exportation, at the request o...
Issue: WCO News 89
Towards technology-driven organizations
Dossier
...As Secretary General of the WCO, I am reminded, every time I visit a Customs administration and its facilities, of the various technologies used by WCO Members to improve the way they manage the flow of goods, people and means of transport, enabling them to not only meet the challenges, but also take advantage of the opportunities, presented by the 21st century border and trade environment. There is nothing new in saying that leveraging technology is key, and there is no shortage of articles or research and analysis on why and how Customs is or should be implementing information and ...
Issue: WCO News 90 October 2019
Capacity Building
Dossier
... WCO Mercator Programme Since its launch in June 2014, the Mercator Programme has become the WCO’s flagship capacity building programme aimed at assisting Member administrations implement the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) in a uniform manner. The Programme promotes harmonized implementation, provides “tailor-made” technical assistance and capacity building, and facilitates effective coordination amongst all interested stakeholders. From July 2018 to June 2019, over 100 national capacity building, technical assis...
Issue: WCO News 91 February 2020
Environmental sustainability: gaging the level of engagement within the Customs community
Dossier
...In pursuance of the WCO’s objective to support global sustainability efforts, its Secretariat recently conducted a survey among Customs administrations to ascertain their level of engagement with regards to the implementation of Multilateral Environmental Agreements, or MEAs, as they are commonly referred to. The survey covered the following eight MEAs: Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal (Basel Convention), 1992; Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity (Cartagena P...
Issue: WCO News 92 June 2020
Customs in the face of COVID-19: the case of Sri Lanka
Dossier
...The first positive coronavirus case in Sri Lanka was reported on 3 March and by 8 May nearly 820 people were found to be infected out of a 22 million population. On 16 March a wide curfew was imposed on the island, followed by other stringent measures to protect the further spread of the virus. This strategy enabled the government to keep fatalities at a single digit. Many activities were shut down while others had to adapt. The Colombo Tea Auction, the world’s oldest operational and largest single-origin tea auction, was conducted for the first time on an e-platform. Sri Lanka ...
Issue: WCO News 93 October 2020
The dynamic dual role of tariffs: insight into specific and ad valorem rates
Dossier
...Introduction Following World War II, like-minded nations sought to create a global trading system that could help foster peace and prosperity through greater economic integration. This effort spawned the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), which required its members to bind their tariffs at lower levels and apply them in a non-discriminatory way (meaning if you give a concession to one country, you give it to them all). Policy makers argued that decreasing tariffs would foster predictability in global trading, reduce prices for consumers and help bu...
Issue: WCO News 94 February 2021
Dematerialization of Customs procedures: Feedback from Moroccan Customs
Dossier
...With its focus fixed on the capacity consistently to improve the service it provides to its users, Moroccan Customs has long been counting recourse to the new information and communications technologies among its strategic options. Today, the various projects undertaken to dematerialize its procedures have culminated in a fresh boost for trade facilitation. As of now, Customs clearance in Morocco is taking on a new dimension: simplicity of access and data use, speed, transparency, traceability and security of transactions, streamlining of control measures and reduction of archiving costs. D...
Issue: WCO News 95 – June 2021
Enhancing performance lies in helping employees to be aware of who they are and what drives them
Dossier
... How can you make an impact as a leader on the performance of your organization, especially in a time of crisis? Part of the answer lies in ensuring that your human resource (HR) managers are taken seriously and have the tools at their disposal to make the best decisions for your biggest resource, your people. This article introduces the notion of self-awareness and existing tools to measure talents and non-talents, and to help individuals find what makes them successful. Take HR seriously...
Issue: WCO News 96 October 2021
USCBP latest initiatives to strengthen enforcement capacity for e-commerce shipments
Dossier: E-Commerce
...E-commerce is a growing segment of the economy of the United States. It made up 10.7% of the total retail sales in 2019 and 14% in 2020[1]. In 2020 alone, e-commerce sales in the U.S. grew over 40% and reached $791.8 billion U.S. dollars in value[2]. The growth of e-commerce  presents many challenges. Although e-commerce shipments pose the same health, safety, and economic security risks as containerized shipments, United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) lacks full visibility into the e-commerce supp...
Issue: WCO News 97 – Issue 1 / 2022
How Botswana Customs is leveraging data-driven technologies to rethink ways of doing, working, measuring and collaborating
Dossier: Destination....Data!
... The Botswana Government wants to build a tech-driven economy, in other words, an economy where development is driven by the potential of available technologies and the innovations they unlock. The Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS) shares that ambition and is leveraging technologies – more specifically, data-driven technologies – for its business operations. This is evinced by the Service’s investment in various projects, which are described below. A new Customs Management System fo...
Issue: WCO News 98 – Issue 2 / 2022
Moving goods in a circular business model: challenges and way ahead
Dossier: Supporting the Green Transition
... Why are we looking at circular economy approaches? Global trade has experienced intense challenges for the past two years, with supply chains facing unprecedented pressures during the COVID-19 pandemic and more recently with the Russia-Ukraine war on the European continent. At the same time, the planet has been heating up and people are waking up to the climate crisis which societies are facing. All these developments have added to a questioning of the current functioning of our global economy that is based o...
Issue: WCO News 99- Issue 3 / 2022
A brief look at what is in the Dossier
Dossier: Disruptive Technologies
...There is nothing new in saying that leveraging technology is key to effectively managing the flow of goods, people and means of transport. This magazine contains a wealth of articles explaining how Customs administrations are using technology to fulfil their missions. In fact, given the impact of technologies on border management, we believe it is essential to gather as much knowledge and experience as possible so that Customs administrations are well informed on the opportunities offered to them to enhance – and sometimes totally transform – the way they work, measure and collaborate....
Issue: WCO News 100 – Issue 1 / 2023
Nurturing the next generation: promoting a culture of knowledge-sharing and professional pride in Customs
Dossier: Managing Knowledge
...Each year, the WCO Secretariat invites the Organization’s Members to focus on a theme it considers relevant to the Customs community and its partners. In 2023, under the slogan “Nurturing the Next Generation: Promoting a Culture of Knowledge-sharing and Professional Pride in Customs”, the Secretariat is inviting Customs administrations to look at how they support newly-recruited officers, facilitate the sharing of knowledge, and heighten the sense of pride in being part of this institution and of the global Customs community. This is about placing human capital, and especially ...
Issue: WCO News 101 – Issue 2 / 2023
WCO Academy – the private sector’s point of access to WCO expertise
Flash Info
...The WCO Academy was launched in May 2018 to provide representatives from the private sector and academia with access to WCO distance learning courses. The aim is to disseminate knowledge related to WCO standards, tools and instruments to a wide audience, thereby supporting their worldwide implementation. Some 15 Customs- and trade-related topics are covered, amounting to over 100 hours of content. The courses are split into modules and are mainly available in English and French. ...
Issue: WCO News 102 – Issue 3 / 2023
Revitalizing cooperation between Ports and Customs
Dossier: Focus on the port environment
...Maritime transport carries 90 percent of global merchandise trade[1], and impediments to ports’ logistical chains have tangible repercussions in terms of higher trade costs and even shortages of goods and materials. The chains include numerous entities, spanning shipping lines, carrier agents, terminal operators, freight forwarders, road haulage operators, train operators, Port State Control, as well as Customs administrations and other regulatory authorities. Port authorities, be they government or private, play a key role in ensuring coordinat...
Issue: WCO News 103 – Issue 1 / 2024
Developing an Ecosystem of Trust at the UK border
Dossier: Engaging partners
... This article introduces the Ecosystem of Trust (EoT) project which aimed at testing whether the use of supply chain data, alongside technologies such as smart seals and smart containers, could be integrated into government systems to improve border processes. The project involved regulatory agencies, technology firms, logistics providers, academics and port operators and confirmed how vital it is for government and industry to work together to modernise the border. Modernising the UK border ...
Issue: WCO News 104 – Issue 2 / 2024
How the Customs Integrity Perception Survey helped reinforce integrity in El Salvador and Mozambique
Dossier: measuring performance
... The WCO Customs Integrity Perception Survey (CIPS) makes it possible to check how a Customs administration is perceived by its own staff and by individuals who engage with them in the areas of promoting integrity and combating corruption. Thus, the CIPS is an instrument that can help improve the capacity of Customs administrations to measure their performance in these areas. In this article the Customs Administrations of El Salvador and Mozambique, having conducted the survey, explain what is involved and how the CIPS has helped them to identify areas for imp...
Issue: WCO News 105 – Issue 3 / 2024
IPR protection: an overview of Argentine Customs’ enforcement strategy
Dossier: Illicit Trade
...For some years now, Argentine Customs has been treating counterfeiting and piracy as a serious threat to its economy and to the health and security of people. In 2011, the WCO recognized these efforts by awarding Argentine Customs a special prize for demonstrating its outstanding commitment to combating this scourge. This article gives an overview of the strategy adopted to enhance its enforcement capacity and of the latest developments in this domain. A solid legal framework Argentine legislation incorporate...
Issue: WCO News 77
Customs laboratories: available resources, assistance and networking possibilities
Focus
...While many traded goods can be correctly identified and classified by simple visual inspection or documentation review, some require chemical or scientific testing to ascertain their identity and enable their correct classification. Products as diverse as acetaminophen (a pharmaceutical product), saccharin (an artificial sweetener), ascorbic acid (a vitamin), piperonal (a drug precursor) or potassium cyanide (a potent poison), for example, cannot be differentiated without being analysed. This applies not only to classic chemical products. Without chemical testing, it is impossible to...
Issue: WCO News 78
Procedures and Facilitation
Dossier
... Capacity building delivery Thirty national or regional events have been organized to support WCO Members i...
Issue: WCO News 79
AEO and paperless procedures: a great opportunity for companies
Dossier
... With the entry into force of the ‘Union Customs Code’ in the European Union, and the still all too real terrorist threat, obtaining the status of an Authorized Economic Operator is even more vital than ever for companies in the world of logistics. However, guaranteeing and optimizing the process of obtaining this status calls for the use of tools essential to paperless procedures, also known as dematerialization, which in turn have been rendered vital by the need to control costs and the stiff competition in the field of international transport. Never bef...
Issue: WCO News 81
Some thoughts about Customs brokers: the WCO survey and beyond
Focus
...This is a time when there is a high level of interest worldwide in the use of Customs brokers, especially the value of Customs brokers in creating efficiencies for moving goods across borders in a cost effective way, and in securing revenue while protecting the public interest. Yet, Customs brokers around the world spend a considerable part of their time explaining what they do. It isn’t that the explanation is difficult, but it is certainly not universal, since the requirements to become a Customs broker and the services provided by them often vary from country to country, and are...
Issue: WCO News 80
Illegal fishing, another form of wildlife crime
Dossier
... Identifying the trade in fisheries products that have been illegally caught is challenging. This article provides an overview of the solutions being developed by governments, inter-governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the private sector and civil society to address illegal fishing and associated trade. Fish and fish products are among the most traded food commodities worldwide, and the trade has expanded considerably in recent decades as the fisheries sector operates in an increasingly globalized environment. The wa...
Issue: WCO News 82
Developing data analyst skills: how the WCO contributes to expanding this specialized area of work
Dossier
...As the WCO is dedicating 2017 to encouraging the use of data analysis for more effective border management, I would like to share my own personal experience in this field, and explain how I was able to develop my data analysis skills thanks to the WCO’s support. Data analysis is not merely one of the core activities of any modern Customs administration; today it is a basic tool for any organization, requiring the adoption of a systematic approach to the collection and processing of data, as well as specialized and qualified personnel. I started my career at Mongolian Customs...
Issue: WCO News 83
WCO Mercator Programme: pioneering innovative partnerships
Focus
...With the entry into force of the WTO Agreement on Trade Facilitation (TFA), some governments face a renewed urgency to modernize and reform their Customs administrations over the next few years. Fortunately, one of the main priorities for the international donor community is to ensure the effective implementation of the provisions of the TFA, providing a unique opportunity for these countries to access a wide range of technical assistance and capacity building support. This support often comprises the undertaking of an analysis, in order to ascertain how a Customs administration is o...
Issue: WCO News 84
Compliance and Enforcement
Dossier
...Security Programme Under the Strategic Trade Controls Enforcement (STCE) Programme, a curriculum and modules for training purposes have been developed to assist in the evaluation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) and work practices dealing with strategic goods, which are defined as weapons of mass destruction (WMD), and conventional weapons and related items involved in the development, production or use of such weapons and their delivery systems...
Issue: WCO News 85
A method for measuring trade facilitation
Dossier
...With its recent ratification in February 2017, the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement is now in force. This is fantastic news for making trade simpler, and for taking advantage of the subsequent economic rewards. However, the question of how to hold countries, administrations and operators accountable to making things simpler, is still open. We argue that although making sure that trade facilitation measures are in place is good, it is the quality of impleme...
Issue: WCO News 86
Is the HS still fit for purpose?
Dossier
... As the WCO celebrates the 30th anniversary, in 2018, of the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System, more popularly known as the Harmonized System or the HS, the question may be asked whether the time has come to contemplate a major overhaul of the system. This article looks at the structure of the HS, its changing uses, whether it is still a sufficient solution, how it can be improved, and whether a structural revision is now necessary. What is the HS The HS is a l...
Issue: WCO News 87
Capacity building
Dossier
...  Strategic advisory support and delivery Strategic advisory support and delivery entail needs-assessments through scoping and gap analysis missions, the development of comprehensive strategic plans, the implementation of WCO standards, and the regular monitoring of performance indicators. During the 2017/2018 period, the WCO conducted 31 such missions. Key WCO capacity building tools to support these missions and actions include the...
Issue: WCO News 88
Mauritius, a small island economy on the move
Dossier
...  Small island states and the various issues that they face, from whatever perspective one looks at them, are a priority for the global community as a whole. This article explains the challenges and peculiarities of Customs administrations of small island economies by looking at the specificities of the Mauritian economy and its trade flows, identified areas of change, and the measures and initiatives undertaken to increase efficiency and reduce trade costs. Located off the southeast coast of Africa, Mauritius is an island state of a...
Issue: WCO News 89
Building partnerships with other border regulatory agencies through ICT
Dossier
...The Jamaica Customs Agency is cognizant of the benefits to be derived from the introduction and use of information and communication technology (ICT) in partnership with other partnering regulatory agencies (PRAs). Such an endeavour is considered strategic and necessary for improved service delivery to private companies involved in international trade and for individuals travelling in and out of the country. Moving to a paperless environment Jamaica Customs’ strategic shift towards a modern Customs administ...
Issue: WCO News 90 October 2019
Compliance and Enforcement
Dossier
... New Publications Strategic Trade Control Enforcement Implementation Guides 2019 Edition ...
Issue: WCO News 91 February 2020
Shining a light on dangerous commodities
Dossier
... How the Harmonized System supports a safer, greener world by specifying goods of environmental concern or interest. “Here be dragons” Dragons and other mythological beasts were used to illustrate uncharted and potentially dangerous areas on some medieval maps. In regard to goods that pose environmental risks, there are Harmonized System (HS) provisions that could rightly bear dragon illustrations. These are provisions where goods of concern are subsumed within...
Issue: WCO News 92 June 2020
Japan Customs conducts online induction training for new recruits
Dossier
... As more countries imposed restrictions on movements and gatherings to fight the spread of COVID-19, online training that might have been a useful tool before, suddenly became a necessity. In this article, Japan Customs explains how it quickly adapted to the situation to keep offering new recruits the training they needed to take on their first assignment with confidence.  Japan Customs has three main missions: protecting society; collecting duties and taxes appropriately and in a fair manner; and further facilitating legitimate trade a...
Issue: WCO News 93 October 2020
Transfer pricing: understanding multinational firms’ practices
Dossier
...A significant amount of work has been done over the last 15 years on “convergence” of income tax transfer pricing (TP) and Customs valuation. Both income tax and Customs rules seek the same result, ensuring that prices between related parties are “at arm’s length,” set as if the parties were unrelated. But the rules are different. Income tax TP rules in the majority of countries are based on guideline...
Issue: WCO News 95 – June 2021
Ensuring Staff Wellbeing and Psychological Health: Jamaica shares its experience
Dossier
... The Jamaica Customs Agency considers its human capital to be its most valued resource and, as such, its staff has a place of pride within the Administration. In this article, the Human Resource Management and Development (HRMD) Division introduces some of the programmes it has developed to ensure staff wellbeing and psychological health.   Resilience, a person’s ability to bounce back from, grow and thrive during challenge, change, and adversity, is currently quite a buzzword. It is widely recognized that, while organizations might...
Issue: WCO News 96 October 2021
Blockchain, artificial intelligence and big data: how Korea Customs Service leverages technology to supervise e-commerce
Dossier: E-Commerce
...Korea Customs Service (KCS) has introduced a range of measures since early 2010 to respond to a growing number of imports and exports generated by online sales and purchases by both businesses and individuals, given the strong upward trend in cross-border e-commerce. KCS previously described the measures it had taken to streamline the import and export process for goods bought online in the October 2015 edition of WCO News. It also i...
Issue: WCO News 97 – Issue 1 / 2022
Collecting data on Customs administrations: lessons learned from the first International Survey on Customs Administration
Dossier: Destination....Data!
... Co-managed by the WCO and the IMF, the first International Survey on Customs Administration (ISOCA) was finalized in June 2020 and a report presenting some of the results was released in November 2021. Whilst a higher number of participants is required for the Survey to provide a global view of the roles Customs administrations play and their practices, this first edition served as a proof of concept, demonstrating the feasibility of collecting data on Customs to support analysis and research at the national and international level. The Internat...
Issue: WCO News 98 – Issue 2 / 2022
Some common questions about the HS, and how to change it to meet needs
Dossier: Supporting the Green Transition
...Good trade-related policy requires good trade data. While it may occasionally be necessary to implement policies and trade measures without a data-driven understanding of the underlying trade, there is always the risk that doing so could deliver unpredictable results or miss the desired objectives. Good trade data is also essential for monitoring and assessing the implementation of trade policies. Commonly for trade-related issues, a major part of examining the data involves looking at the data generated by Customs classification. For trade beyond the imports/exports of one Cu...
Issue: WCO News 99- Issue 3 / 2022
The WCO Data Model: guidance for efficient implementation
Dossier: Disruptive Technologies
...A fundamental requirement for information to flow seamlessly across different IT systems is that they all speak the same language. Cross-border regulatory agencies retaining the right to determine the data they require should all use a similar language and have harmonized the way in which the required data is submitted. This is also critical for enabling economic operators to use the same system to comply with the requirements of different administrations and countries. Such a common language exists: the WCO Data Model (DM). Developed and maintained through the WCO Data Model Project...
Issue: WCO News 100 – Issue 1 / 2023
Why now is the time to address workforce challenges
Dossier: Managing Knowledge
... The workforce-related challenges faced by leaders of organizations in all sectors across the world are mounting. Recent empirical research in the form of one of the largest labour market studies ever conducted worldwide paints a more detailed and nuanced picture of what is going on ‒ and points to concrete ways of responding. What is going on in the workplace? The Great Resignation has been making a lot of noise in recent news. But what does it mean? Is it really happe...
Issue: WCO News 101 – Issue 2 / 2023
Enabling Customs in Fragile and Conflict-Affected Situations
Dossier: Fragile Borders
...Fragile borders are areas where State agencies, particularly Customs, are unable to operate properly owing to the insecurity created by State or non-State armed groups. Although each fragile and conflict-affected situation (FCS) has its own specificities, similarities do exist across countries in terms of the role of trade as an economic resource for communities, the embeddedness of smuggling in social activities and the informal taxation levied on traders and cross-border flows of commodities by non-State armed groups such as terrorists, criminal gangs or guerrillas. Although the pr...
Issue: WCO News 102 – Issue 3 / 2023
Customs-Ports partnership and engagement in Abu Dhabi
Dossier: Focus on the port environment
...Abu Dhabi (AD), the capital of the United Arab Emirates, was one of the early adopters of trade digitalization in the Middle East and has made considerable progress in this field. To achieve this, it needed to establish a solid partnership between key private- and public-sector stakeholders, including AD Customs, AD Ports Group[1] and the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED). In 2019, the ADDED formed the Abu Dhabi Logistics Sector Development Committee.[2] Under its umbrella, AD Customs and AD ...
Issue: WCO News 103 – Issue 1 / 2024
Combating drug trafficking: how shipping lines can become Customs partners
Dossier: Engaging partners
...Many law enforcement agencies have seen a dramatic increase in drug trafficking over the past five years, as well as in the number of violent events and the amount of social disruption linked to this trade. Over the years, shipping lines have invested significant resources in combating the movement of illicit goods using their vessels. Measures include cargo screening and the monitoring of containers using tracking devices or sensor systems indicating container breaches and temperature changes. Some carriers also use automated analytical tools to detect anomalies in shipping manifest inform...
Issue: WCO News 104 – Issue 2 / 2024
Accountability and transparency features in the United States’ Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) programme
Dossier: measuring performance
...Accountability in operations and programme management has been a principal feature of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) programme since its inception in November 2001. The CTPAT programme is the United States’ Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) programme. In fact, CBP implemented a comprehensive approach to hold the CTPAT programme accountable to different parties and entities, to include its own CTPAT partners. This approach, which includes the establishment of verifiable performance measures, audits, surveys, and asse...
Issue: WCO News 105 – Issue 3 / 2024
Drug trafficking: an overview of Mauritius Customs’ activities
Dossier: Illicit Trade
...Drug abuse is an escalating concern in Mauritius. According to a survey conducted in 2024 by the non-profit company Afrobarometer, Mauritians consider drug abuse and addiction as the second most pressing issue for government intervention, with only the cost of living surpassing it in importance. In its 2021 report, the National Drug Observatory, established by the Government of Mauritius in 2015, provided the following snapshot of the situation: health: approximately 900 drug-related in-patient treatment...
Issue: WCO News 77
Customs laboratories, chemistry and excise: an historical introduction
Focus
...At the end of July 1882, a strange package arrived at the Madrid Customs laboratory which was under the direction of Gabriel de la Puerta-Ródenas, a Spanish chemist who lived from 1839-1908. Destined for Spain’s Prime Minister, the Spanish authorities, fearing for the Prime Minister’s life, decided to have the package examined. They first turned to the Army laboratory, and then to the School of Mines’ laboratory in Madrid, but both refused to open it. Fortunately, De la Puerta, a renowned chemist, pharmacist, botanist and doctor, was willing to take on sensitive assig...
Issue: WCO News 78
Capacity Building
Dossier
... Four areas of activity ...
Issue: WCO News 79
Securing the digital supply chain
Dossier
...The digital supply chain is where the world of trade is being transformed, as consumers and businesses switch to digital media, digital goods and e-commerce in place of physical goods traded at bricks-and-mortar stores. New platforms for trading goods online as well as on the ‘dark net,’ new driverless modes of transport (such as drones), and new digital design and manufacturing techniques (such as 3D printing) are disrupting international trade supply chains that are based on the movement of physical goods. This evolution poses significant challenges for Customs agencies and bor...
Issue: WCO News 81
An overview of Japan’s Customs brokerage legislation
Focus
... In Japan, about 920 companies or individuals are engaged in Customs brokerage as of April 2016. The Japanese Customs broker regime has the following characteristics: the use of a broker is optional; brokers require a licence to operate; brokers must employ qualified staff; and brokers may apply to join the authorized economic operator (AEO) programme which was introduced in 2008. Customs brokers are specialists in import and export procedures, and their use, while already high, is increasing in Japan. Although each country’s clearance system d...
Issue: WCO News 80
Tracking the illicit traffic in weapons
Dossier
...An assault rifle is shipped to a foreign government in the mid-1970s. Forty years later, with the original records of its sale long since disposed of or lost, it is stolen from a poorly guarded stockpile, and driven in the back of a truck across a thousand-mile-long border. It is passed on to a foreign insurgent group, discovered at a Customs post while being smuggled across another border, and is finally seized and placed in a Customs storeroom for investigation or disposal. Such a scenario will be familiar to Customs and enforcement officials all over the world. Recent atrocities i...
Issue: WCO News 82
Cognitive computing for Customs agencies: improving compliance and facilitation by enabling Customs officers to make better decisions
Dossier
...Data analytics – for example, automated selectivity rules – has become an increasingly important tool for Customs agencies. However, conventional data analytics has some critical limitations. It can only look for pre-defined patterns and rules, and cannot make use of unstructured data, which comes in the form of emails, social media, blogs, documents, images and videos. Cognitive computing allows Customs agencies to extract insights from both structured and unstructured data, discover new patterns and rules, capture the experience of top performers, and improve the quality and consisten...
Issue: WCO News 83
‘Hackathon’ innovation potential tested by Finnish Customs
Panorama
... Hackathons are no longer the exclusive domain of tech geeks. Several hundred big companies in other industries now organize them, including firms in industries as diverse as airlines, cars, telecommunications, beer and banking, as well as governmental and public institutions. Finnish Customs recently participated in a public service hackathon during which it challenged participants to imagine solutions that would make it easier to access information on Customs regulations and procedures. The experience ended up being extremely beneficial and allowed the organ...
Issue: WCO News 84
True leadership through greater awareness
Panorama
... Since 2015, Directors General of Customs and their executive teams have been able to participate in a ‘Top Executive Retreat,’ as a means of further strengthening their capacity in implementing change and in achieving organizational results. This article explains what a retreat is all about and the benefits that can be derived from attending such an event.   At the end of a WCO Top Executive Retreat (TER), the Director General of a Customs administration and his/her executive team leave with many new and fresh ideas on h...
Issue: WCO News 85
UPU postal-rail project: establishing an international postal rail transport service
Dossier
... Although the carriage of freight by rail can provide a cheaper and faster alternative to sea and air transport, it is still very low. In order to develop the transport of postal items by rail, the Universal Postal Union (UPU) has set up a task force and undertaken several pilots in order to better understand how the performance of rail transport between China and Europe can be improved and how its use by shippers can be enhanced. China is the most important country of origin for the import of goods into the European Union (EU) and is now develop...
Issue: WCO News 86
Building a classification infrastructure: the Ghanaian experience
Dossier
... In January 2018, the Ghanaian government notified the WCO Secretariat that it had accepted seven Harmonized System (HS)-related WCO Council Recommendations, testimony to its strong commitment to implement objective, predictable and transparent classification practices as well as facilitate the collection of international trade statistics and the monitoring of global trade. This article presents the path that the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority has charted over the years in its quest to create a functional and workable classification infras...
Issue: WCO News 87
Council Chairperson and Secretary General re-elected for new terms
Dossier
...  Election highs of the sessions included the re-election of Enrique Canon, the Director General of Uruguay Customs, as Chairperson of the Council, and the re-election of Kunio Mikuriya, the incumbent Secretary General of the WCO, for a further five-year term at the helm of the Organization, effective 1 January 2019. Mr. Canon expressed his gratitude for the ongoing confidence placed in him by the Council, and Dr. Mikuriya said that he was deeply honoured by the confidence that the Council has in his ability to lead the Secretariat and that he will continue working to ach...
Issue: WCO News 88
Australia’s Vendor Collection Model explained
Dossier
...The growth of e-commerce has contributed to significant increases in the volumes of goods crossing Australia’s borders. Between 2013 and 2016, the volume of inbound air cargo and international mail parcels increased by 57%. Between 2017 and 2021, Australia expects a 30% year-on-year growth in air cargo, and the number of international mail parcels to double. One of the reasons why online shopping has become so popular lies in the fact that goods with a value of 1,000 Australian dollars or less imported into Australia were, until 1 July 2018, exempt from goods and services tax (GST)...
Issue: WCO News 89
Biometric breakthrough: CBP’s innovative approach to keeping America safe
Dossier
...It is 07:45 on a Wednesday morning in May at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the United States (US) and passengers are boarding Delta Air Lines flight 334 to Mexico City. One by one the passengers scan their boarding passes and approach a camera that is set up on the air bridge where they have their pictures taken before they board the flight. The photos are being matched through biometric facial recognition technology to photos that were previously taken of the passengers for their passports, visas, or other government documentation. All is moving smoothly until ...
Issue: WCO News 90 October 2019
2019 WCO Photo Competition
Dossier
...“Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer has nothing to declare” is the caption of this year’s winning entry from Finland Customs. ...
Issue: WCO News 91 February 2020
Focus on the transboundary movements of wastes
Dossier
... There is a long-standing concern that trade flows in hazardous and other wastes could lead to negative impacts on human health and the environment if such wastes end up in countries without capacities for their proper management. On the other hand, trade in waste is sometimes a necessity for countries not having the necessary infrastructure to manage their own wastes in an environmentally sound manner. Waste can also be a resource that can reduce the use of virgin materials and generate energy and a global market for (non‑hazardous) wa...
Issue: WCO News 92 June 2020
Air cargo – the lifeline of recovery: health, trade, and society’s wellbeing
Dossier
...In every discussion I have about aviation, people ask me when they will be able to fly again. Still remains to be seen when the recovery from COVID-19 firmly starts, but from all assessments, it may take several years for the industry to come back to its pre-crisis level, especially when it comes to intercontinental leisure passenger traffic. The economic impact of the current pandemic on average citizens is huge, and discretionary expenses like travel will be the first thing to be eliminated. Vacations as well as visiting friends and relatives will most likely be domestic, not inter...
Issue: WCO News 93 October 2020
“Valuing” our involvement – private sector engagement and views on Customs valuation
Dossier
... The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the WCO have a history of long and close co-operation in the area of Customs valuation. As the institutional representative of more than 45 million businesses in over 100 countries, ICC has been participating as an Observer in the meetings of the Technical Committee on Customs Valuation since 1979. In that time, the ICC Observer delegation has had the opportunity to explain specific aspects of commercial practice in terms of their influence on Customs valuation, as well as to engage with Cu...
Issue: WCO News 94 February 2021
Digitization of ATA Carnets: overview of the ICC pilot project
Dossier
...The ATA[1] Carnet is an international Customs document that permits duty-free and tax-free temporary admission of most goods for up to one year. It enables countries, businesses and border agencies to expedite the Customs process by utilizing unified, ready-to-use declaration forms and eliminating the lodging of a guarantee, bond or cash deposit in the country of temporary importation. At the end of 2020, the ATA Carnet procedure has been implemented in 78 countries and Customs territories. In each one of them, the Customs authority appoints a National ...
Issue: WCO News 95 – June 2021
Qatar Customs invests in staff development
Dossier
... Qatar Customs is offering its staff new opportunities to further their education and ensure they are well equipped to take on complex projects or managerial positions. This article introduces these new educational programmes and reveals some of the lessons learned in establishing them.   Until recently, staff working for Qatar’s General Authority of Customs (hereafter referred to as Qatar Customs) could enhance their knowledge and skills only by following training provided by the Customs Training Centre and the WCO Secreta...
Issue: WCO News 96 October 2021
Peru develops new processes and services to facilitate and secure cross-border e commerce
Dossier: E-Commerce
...In Peru, the importation of goods purchased online has increased by 23% annually over the past five years. Consumers and companies buy products through marketplaces such as AliExpress, Amazon, eBay and Wish from sellers mostly located in Asia, the United States and Europe. Products are mainly transported by air via express courier delivery services called Empresas de Servicio de Entrega Rápida (ESERs). A number of years ago as part of its digital transformation efforts, SUNAT began reviewing the way it processes goods transported by ESERs. The Covid-19 pandemic gave renewed...
Issue: WCO News 97 – Issue 1 / 2022
Transforming Dominican Customs through effective data analysis
Dossier: Destination....Data!
...Today, a lot of what we do generates data. These data can be analysed in real time thanks to hyperconnected infrastructures – a state of communications where electronic and computer devices of all kinds can communicate among each other to whatever extent each individual user desires – as well as increased data storage and processing capacity, artificial intelligence, machine learning and artificial neural networks. Data can be transformed into information and then translated into intelligence that allows us to make decisions objectively. The General Directorate of Customs (DGA) o...
Issue: WCO News 98 – Issue 2 / 2022
Some thoughts on Customs role in sustainable development
Dossier: Supporting the Green Transition
... This article looks at how Singapore Customs strives to bring efficiency in the management of trade operations to lower their impact on the environment as well as at the initiatives it has taken to support environmental policies. The most frequently cited definition of sustainability is in Our Common Future, the 1987 UN-commissioned study known as the Brundtland Report: “Humanity has the ability to make development sustainable to ensure that it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future gene...
Issue: WCO News 99- Issue 3 / 2022
Bahamas Customs takes huge leap forward on recouping lost and evaded revenue
Dossier: Disruptive Technologies
... Through the use of AI analytics, Bahamas has identified over 115 million USD in evaded revenue since 2020, while simultaneously modernizing its revenue collection management capabilities. In 2020, Bahamas Customs began seeking solutions to help identify and recoup lost and evaded revenue at the border. While significant modernization efforts have already been made towards deploying an Electronic Single Window System to promote coordination and interoperability between Customs and Other Government Agencies for the cross-border movement of contr...
Issue: WCO News 100 – Issue 1 / 2023
Qatar Customs Knowledge Management Strategy
Dossier: Managing Knowledge
...The General Authority of Customs (GAC) of Qatar considers that knowledge management is key to improving its performance in all areas, ranging from service quality and productivity to the decision-making process and communication. Knowledge management is not really about managing knowledge, but about developing a culture that values learning and the sharing of knowledge. It consists of a collection of processes that govern the creation, dissemination and utilization of knowledge in an organization. Steering Committee ...
Issue: WCO News 101 – Issue 2 / 2023
Working against a security crisis backdrop: the experience of units in South-West Cameroon
Dossier: Fragile Borders
... The security crisis gripping a number of regions in Cameroon has severely disrupted the day‑to-day operations of the local Customs surveillance units. Whether seeking to nurture a survival instinct, protect the physical integrity of staff or forge ahead with surveillance missions, these units struggle to find the appropriate balance. However, these surveillance units have learned over time to develop tricks and tactics, and make the operational adjustments needed to complete the various missions allocated to them by the public authorities. This article look...
Issue: WCO News 103 – Issue 1 / 2024
Putting the partnership principle into practice: a look into Singapore Customs’ collaboration with authorities and stakeholders
Dossier: Engaging partners
...This year’s International Customs Day theme, “Customs Engaging Traditional and New Partners with Purpose”, resonates deeply with Singapore Customs. In the ever-evolving landscape of international trade, growing interdependence and technological advancements demand that we adapt, innovate and build meaningful partnerships to ensure efficient Customs procedures and smooth trade flows. At Singapore Customs, we believe that trade is best facilitated by setting in place a trusted and rules-based system that ensures fair play for all parties. This requires us to engage do...
Issue: WCO News 104 – Issue 2 / 2024
Explaining utilization of preferential tariffs: new perspectives
Dossier: measuring performance
... For many years, Maersk, a company that provides shipping, logistics and trade consultancy services, has supported a number of research projects. This article offers a snapshot of a forthcoming academic paper that examines and proposes an explanation for the levels of utilization of preferential tariffs by importers in the European Union. Over the past 20 years, preferential trade agreements (PTAs) have become a common feature of the international trade landscape. By the end of 2023, the World Trade Organization (WTO) had received notifications f...
Issue: WCO News 105 – Issue 3 / 2024
Controlling general aviation: the Argentinian and Senegalese Customs Administrations outline the progress made under the COLIBRI Project
Dossier: Illicit Trade
...The COLIBRI Project, which is aimed at monitoring and controlling general aviation (GA) and combating illicit trafficking perpetrated through GA in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) as well as in West and Central Africa (WCA), has been implemented since 2019 by the WCO Secretariat, with the financial backing of the European Union (EU). GA is a generic term denoting all the operations of civil aviation for purposes other than commercial transport (flying for sport or leisure aviation, private aviation, business aviation and aerial work). To enable administrative authorities...
Issue: WCO News 77
Dominican Republic opens top-notch Customs laboratory
Focus
...On 18 February 2015, the General Directorate of Customs (DGA) of the Dominican Republic officially opened a modern scientific laboratory occupying a site measuring 1,217 square metres in the city of Santo Domingo. The facility has an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), an emergency generator, kitchen facilities, vehicle parking and an area for unloading and receiving samples, and complies with the highest health and safety standards. Designed to improve the managerial efficiency, predictability and availability, within its remit, of the DGA vis-à-vis all external trade users and operators,...
Issue: WCO News 78
Compliance and Enforcement
Dossier
... ...
Issue: WCO News 79
Start small, think big: big data!
Focus
...Ninety-three percent of federal government respondents to a recent survey by Unisys Corp. said that the quality and speed of decision-making improved when applying data analytics; yet nearly 70% reported that they are concerned about their agency’s ability to analyse key data rather than simply collect it. One of the reasons for such concern is the ‘information explosion,’ a term that describes the rapid increase in the amount of available information or data, introducing the challenge of managing the information and making sense out of it. Giving up is not an option because da...
Issue: WCO News 81
Cameroon’s experience concerning licensed Customs brokers
Focus
...In Cameroon, a licensed Customs broker (LCB) plays a very important role in the national supply chain. The national directory of LCBs lists almost 200 brokers, with the number changing as licences are withdrawn or brokers cease their activities. Under the current regulations it is compulsory to use an LCB. However, diplomatic missions, international bodies, owners of imported second-hand vehicles, public authorities, and oil companies (where their crude oil exports are concerned) are permitted to lodge their own Customs declarations. The profession is governed by the Community...
Issue: WCO News 80
Automatic detection tools: from concept to reality
Dossier
...On International Customs Day 2016, the Secretary General of WCO, Kunio Mikuriya, reminded us all that information and communications technology (ICT) is everywhere in today’s Customs workplace, and that ICT has transformed the way Customs and governments operate. To meet the challenge of facilitating trade through more effective and streamlined control of merchandise, Customs authorities must take advantage of technologies, and more particularly of non-intrusive inspection (NII) solutions. Over the last decades, Customs have stayed at the forefront of this key technology. Th...
Issue: WCO News 82
Emerging technologies can transform border management, but agencies must prepare
Point of View
...Globalization and the rising threat of terrorism are just two of the many issues challenging border agencies’ ability to secure the swift movement of people and goods across borders. At the same time, emerging technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT,, blockchain, biometrics, data analytics and machine learning have introduced new risks and opportunities, requiring a rapid and innovative response from industry leaders. A recent Accenture survey of 91 leaders within border agencies across nine countries – Australia, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, Norway, Singapore, the U...
Issue: WCO News 83
Enhanced control of light aviation in West Africa
Panorama
...Although the term has not been defined in international law, it is commonly held that light aviation comes under the heading of general aviation, a generic term covering all civil aviation operations other than commercial transport, in other words sports and leisure aviation, aerial work and private aviation. Small aircraft, helicopters, gliders and microlight aircraft fall within this category. Any deficiency in the management of this ‘small-scale aviation’ poses risks. On the one hand, there are tax risks, and care must be taken to ensure that the aircraft in question have been...
Issue: WCO News 84
Enhancing results in the fight against the illicit trade in cigarettes: Dominican Customs’ positive experience
Panorama
...Illicit trade endangers the healthy structure of trade and industry, and requires constant vigilance from Customs administrations, which, due to their position at the border, play a critical role in combating this trade that causes enormous detriment to state revenues and that of industries around the world. There are several types of illicit trade activities, including money laundering, drug trafficking, the smuggling of precious stones and metals, and the trade in counterfeit and pirated goods, as well as the trafficking of people and endangered or protected wildlife. The following...
Issue: WCO News 85
Australia and New Zealand trial a ‘green lane’ for international mail
Dossier
... Australia and New Zealand have been working together to test a new border clearance process to help address the huge increase in e-commerce related international mail volumes between the two countries. Undertaken as a trial, this article explains its objectives, how it was conducted, the results, lessons learned, and the next steps. Over the past few years, there has been significant global growth in international mail, with the worldwide boom in e-commerce driving a huge increase in the number of low value parcels. E-commerce mail volumes from ...
Issue: WCO News 86
Role of the HS in the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
Dossier
...Appropriate policies and sound legal and regulatory frameworks are necessary conditions to make international trade a virtuous engine to eradicate poverty and hunger, and to promote prosperity and sustainable development. On 25 September 2015, the 193 Member States of the United Nations (UN) adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development[1] that includes 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), 169 targets, and 232[2] indicators. The 2030 Agenda is fully owned by countries, and provides a comprehensive fra...
Issue: WCO News 87
Signing ceremonies
Dossier
... The WCO signed several Memoranda of Understanding (MoU): with Korea Customs on the establishment of a WCO Regional Customs Laboratory; with Tunisia Customs on the establishment of a WCO Regional Training Centre (RTC); ...
Issue: WCO News 88
Korea pilots blockchain technology as it prepares for the future
Dossier
...Since the Fourth Industrial Revolution was mentioned in 2016 at the World Economic Forum, the impact of technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), the blockchain and “big data” have become issues discussed at length worldwide. In Korea, in preparing for the future, the government formed a “Fourth Industrial Revolution Committee” in 2017, directly reporting to the President. The Committee is mandated to coordinate important policy matters pertaining to the development and acquisition of new science and technology. As part of the government’s efforts, the ...
Issue: WCO News 89
Improving facilitation through the use of electronic seals
Dossier
... India figured amongst the top 10 countries that had improved its ranking in the World Bank’s Doing Business Report 2019. The most remarkable progress was made in the category “Trading across borders,” where India’s rank jumped from 146 to 80, the highest jump made by a country. Amongst several Customs measures explaining this evolution is the adoption of electronic seals. To facilitate trade operations, Indian Customs allows cargo to be moved without the collection of duty and without physical inspection between ports and Inland Containe...
Issue: WCO News 90 October 2019
Elections: a new Council Chairperson and two new Directors
Dossier
...   Far right: Mr. Dicksons Collins Kateshumbwa, Commissioner of Uganda Customs, was elected Chairperson of the Council ...
Issue: WCO News 91 February 2020
The ozone layer and climate protection: Customs’ essential role
Dossier
...The ozone layer, which lies in the atmosphere high above our heads, is vital for protecting human health and the environment from dangerous ultraviolet radiation reaching the earth’s surface. Without it, life on earth could not exist. Depletion of this thin layer of gas is caused by the emission of man-made ozone depleting substances (ODS) such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrofluorocarbons (HCFCs) used primarily in refrigeration and air-conditioning as well as in the production of foams. In October 2019, there were many optimistic media reports that the hole in the ozone lay...
Issue: WCO News 92 June 2020
The invisible and secure border of the future
Dossier
... Never more than now has the need for a secure and contactless border experience been more important. Border agencies face many challenges and are today operating in an era of unprecedented change. An increasingly volatile global travel and trade environment combined with new security and public health threats, make for a challenging and evolving operating environment that requires close observation, and coordinated and far-reaching responses. To be successful in this era of instability and rapid change, border agencies need to evolve thei...
Issue: WCO News 93 October 2020
Advance rulings: facilitating trade while promoting compliance
Dossier
... Advance rulings relating to the determination of tariff classification and origin of goods are already established in several countries, but few have implemented such a system in the field of Customs valuation. Such rulings do not determine or confirm the actual Customs value of a particular consignment but indicate the treatment to apply to certain elements of the Customs value. In this article, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) explains the processes and procedures relating to this powerful trade facilitation tool which benefits both the a...
Issue: WCO News 94 February 2021
How digital tools can improve compliance with SPS measures
Dossier
... Given increasing concerns about food security and food safety and the need to fight hunger and eliminate food waste, a review of the current processes for implementation of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement and adoption of information technology to enhance workflows would benefit both the import and export economies, as well as trading partners.  SPS Agreement and certification process The aim of the WTO Sanitary and Phyto...
Issue: WCO News 95 – June 2021
Managing organizational performance in a crisis period
Dossier
... This article is based on the presentation by the authors at the WCO webinar “Managing HR through a crisis and beyond”. It looks at how to maintain effective performance in a severely disruptive crisis situation, and explores practical strategies for combining performance and staff wellbeing at work. It considers some general leadership and management practices, as well as the adoption of a learning and leadership framework for organizational learning to build capacity and sustainability.   The COVID-19 pandemic has had, ...
Issue: WCO News 96 October 2021
Extending the ISO Audit Data Collection Standard to improve Customs and indirect tax audits and bring some innovation into this field
Point of View
... International Standard ISO[1] 21378:2019 aims to make data collection for financial audits more efficient and reliable. In this article, Dutch Customs explains the structure of this ISO Standard and why the Netherlands has submitted a proposal to extend it to cover data related to Customs and indirect tax audits. The article argues that this development is critical to facilitating post-control audits and bringing much-needed innovation in this field of work. At the same time, it will offer the business com...
Issue: WCO News 97 – Issue 1 / 2022
Geospatial data at the service of Niger Customs
Dossier: Destination....Data!
... In the June 2019 issue of WCO News,[1] the WCO Secretariat encouraged Customs to examine the use of geodata for more effective border management. In Niger, the Customs service recently financed a study into the use of satellite imagery to analyse cross-border trade flows. This paper presents the information collected and explains how it will be used t...
Issue: WCO News 98 – Issue 2 / 2022
Automatic detection tools help with identifying the illicit trade in ivory
Point of View
...Back in June 2016, we wrote in the pages of this very magazine that “automatic detection tools, commonly known by the acronym ATR, which means automatic threat recognition, or assisted target recognition” had transformed from concept to reality. Today, we would like to highlight the results achieved in terms of developing ATR specifically to identify the illicit trade in ivory. When it comes to tracking illegal trade in wildlife, and especial...
Issue: WCO News 99- Issue 3 / 2022
Automated detection: Dutch Customs shares its experience
Dossier: Disruptive Technologies
...In our “Pushing Boundaries” vision, we described our “dot” on the horizon, a helpful focal point when dealing with challenges we are, and will be, confronted with. The most prominent one is how to cope with a rising number of declarations and, consequently, a growing need for inspections. At any given time, we need to find the right balance between Customs supervision and trade facilitation; our aim is to implement robust controls, but with as little administrative hassle and regulatory pressure on business as possible, and with minimal delays to the logistic flow. First and ...
Issue: WCO News 100 – Issue 1 / 2023
Interesting trends in Customs university programmes
Dossier: Managing Knowledge
...The business of Customs is extremely complex, and yet, until very recently, there was no academic recognition of Customs as a profession. Unlike lawyers, accountants, engineers and others who are able to point to some form of diploma that indicates they are professionals in their field, no equivalent existed for Customs officials. This changed in the 1990s, thanks to three like-minded individuals[1] who had been developing Customs-specific curricula in their universities – Münster in Germany, Riga in Latvia and Canberra in Australia. They creat...
Issue: WCO News 101 – Issue 2 / 2023
The security crisis in Haiti and its impact on Customs
Dossier: Fragile Borders
... In Haiti, the political instability that followed the departure of President Jean-Claude Duvalier in 1986 was compounded by a security crisis caused by the military coup against President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in 1991. This culminated in the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021 and led to the emergence of armed groups, which are now responsible for an almost permanent climate of terror. This article will explain the impact of this extremely fragile situation on the functioning of the Customs Administration and set out some possible lines of appr...
Issue: WCO News 102 – Issue 3 / 2023
Implementing the principles of “Smart Borders” at a medium-sized port
Dossier: Focus on the port environment
...Bulgaria has been a fully-fledged Member State of the European Union (EU) since 1 January 2007 and exerts controls over one of the external maritime borders of the EU with the Black Sea, in accordance with EU Customs policies. The number of inbound and outbound container units going through its largest maritime port, the Port of Varna, has grown steadily over the past 10 years (see Figure 1) but represents a minor part of the flows of goods entering or leaving the European Union through its maritime borders. Most goods entering Bulgaria by sea are released for internal circulation or are in...
Issue: WCO News 103 – Issue 1 / 2024
West and Central Africa region intensifies stakeholder engagement in anti-corruption measures
Dossier: Engaging partners
...In its drive to combat corruption and promote integrity, the WCO has always advocated the creation of partnerships, in particular with the private sector as set out under key factor 10, entitled “Relationship with the Private Sector”, of the Revised Arusha Declaration Concerning Good Governance and Integrity in Customs. Over the past few years, the WCO has been encouraging Customs administrations to le...
Issue: WCO News 104 – Issue 2 / 2024
Automating image analysis: China Customs implements new model for the development and deployment of algorithms
Panorama
...The General Administration of China Customs (hereinafter GACC) has been using large-scale non-intrusive inspection (NII) equipment to control containers and vehicles since 1991, which makes it among the first Customs administrations in the world to leverage such a technology. In 2014, faced with the rapid growth in freight volume and constraints in terms of human resources, it started to study the application of advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and big data, to support image analysis operations. In 2017, it launched the AI-based Image Analysis Project, aime...
Issue: WCO News 105 – Issue 3 / 2024
Revisiting training in search of vehicle: how partnership and purpose pave the road to innovation in Ireland
Dossier: Illicit Trade
...Change comes in many forms but it is invariably brought about by two main factors. The first occurs when there is a desire for it, whether by a group or an individual. The second type is born of necessity, when circumstances dictate that there is no other option. Occasionally both impetuses arrive in the same moment. Irish Revenue’s Customs and Excise Training Team found themselves at just such a juncture, as the world emerged from the pervasive effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lockdowns had radically overhauled how training was delivered in the face of social distancing, but those...
Issue: WCO News 77
Is it possible to use a private laboratory as a Customs laboratory?
Focus
...In one word: Yes! At least, that is the experience of the Danish Customs and Tax Administration (SKAT). There are, of course, issues to be considered and addressed before taking the decision to use a private laboratory as a Customs laboratory, but once the issues have been addressed, it is entirely possible. The first question that arises is why even consider using a private laboratory? Being a small country with an equally small number of Customs officers, it would be difficult for Denmark to finance a Customs laboratory with the necessary equipment and staff it with qualified perso...
Issue: WCO News 78
Election highs
Dossier
...© WCO   Several elections took p...
Issue: WCO News 79
Using open data to combat transnational criminal networks
Focus
... Over the past decade the global security environment has evolved, allowing rogue nation-states, sanctioned terrorist organizations, and violent criminal syndicates to operate on a transnational scale, converging in pursuit of common objectives. Today, these illicit actors are deeply embedded within international systems of finance, commerce and transportation, threatening to critically undermine the foundations of global peace and prosperity. This article highlights C4ADS’ approach to analysing unclassified data in order to demonstrate how illicit networks ...
Issue: WCO News 81
A global Customs broker’s insights into the profession’s challenges, successes, and best practices
Focus
... The opportunity As enhanced trade facilitation and refined Customs risk management strategies make possible the opportunity for common Customs frameworks and modernization efforts, such as regional Single Window initiatives, it is critical to educate both the public and private sector on the benefits available through active support and participation. Only through such awareness can we hope to succeed in bringing together the myriad political, operational and legal innovations necessary to capitalize on this opportu...
Issue: WCO News 80
The power of pollen: how CBP is at the forefront of using pollen as a new forensic tool
Focus
... In June 2015, when the partially decomposed body of an unidentified little girl, known as Baby Doe, was found in a trash bag on a beach on Deer Island in Boston Harbour, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children in the United States (US) contacted US Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP’s) forensic pollen expert, Andrew Laurence, for help. Laurence, one of the world’s foremost forensic palynologists and one of only two such experts in the US, has helped the Center identify the geographical origins of other children in the pa...
Issue: WCO News 82
Customs and the environment: bringing about a better future for all
Focus
...Numerous media outlets often publish alarming articles about the dire state of the environment, but is this really the case? The answer to this is, unfortunately, an unambiguous YES! Even rudimentary research substantiates that the environment, in all its facets, is deplorably under severe threat and if the status quo is not halted and reversed, the end result will be disastrous for all who inhabit the planet. The term ‘environment’ attracts various definitions, such as “the aggregate of surrounding things, conditions, or influences; surroundings; milieu,” or ...
Issue: WCO News 83
Gender equality through equal pay: Iceland Customs takes the lead
Panorama
... Gender equality is now a dominant theme throughout the world, and is being pursued in various ways by international organizations, governments and industry alike. The Customs world is no different as it tackles the issue, bolstered by ‘gender mainstreaming’ being part of the WCO’s approach to gender equity. A sterling example is that of Iceland Customs, which has taken up the theme with vigor, and is now leading efforts to bring about gender equality with the recent implementation of an ‘Equal Pay Standard’ in 2016. In this article, they take us on ...
Issue: WCO News 84
Cross-border e-commerce in China
Panorama
...  E-commerce – the trade in goods and services via the Internet – has become a growing component of the global economy, and cross-border e-commerce a major topic of discussion for Customs authorities. Accordingly, the WCO has placed this subject high on its agenda, including: creating a dedicated Working Group on E-commerce (WGEC) as a forum for WCO Members and the private sector to discuss strategies for the facilitation and control of cross-border e-commerce transactions; undertaking fieldwork and research to collect and analyse the experiences of WCO...
Issue: WCO News 85
Combating overvaluation: Malawi’s experience
Dossier
...Trade-based money laundering (TBML) is defined by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) as the process of disguising the proceeds of crime, and moving the money into the formal economy through the use of trade transactions in an attempt to legitimize its illicit origins. In practice, this can be achieved notably through the misrepresentation of the price, as well as the quantity or quality of imports and/or exports. In Malawi, the Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA) cites TBML as the main source of Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs) out of the country. Malawi Customs has, therefore, an ...
Issue: WCO News 86
The importance of the HS to tariff classification: thoughts from the IFCBA
Dossier
...The WCO website tells us that tariff classification using the Harmonized System (HS) Nomenclature “allows a world of many languages to speak with one.” As we mark the 30th anniversary of the official adoption of the HS in 1988, few could argue against the value of this universal language that has brought great clarity to the world of trade. With 157 Contracting Parties to the HS Convention basing their domestic Customs tariffs on the HS, and dozens more using it despite not being signatories, the HS truly is the language of international trade. It is currently used by more th...
Issue: WCO News 87
2018 WCO Photo Competition
Dossier
... “Facilitating trade, protecting our people, building our country” is the caption of this year’s winning entry from Jamaica Customs. The photo shows officers getting on with different jobs in an efficient and friendly way. It illustrates the ...
Issue: WCO News 88
Standardizing platforms and adapting to the latest technological solutions available is the way forward
Dossier
...Technology is changing at what seems like an ever-increasing pace, raising discussion about autonomous cars and the future of employment, as well as the future of trade. Whilst cars are not quite driving themselves yet, global trade has seen a dramatic shift in the way that we shop. I am talking, of course, about e-commerce. Only a few years ago, we all went shopping in the “High Street” or the local shopping mall. Today we shop online and have purchases delivered right to our doorstep in a matter of days or even hours. E-commerce has completely transformed how we shop and...
Issue: WCO News 89
Container scanning: analysis of the mechanism’s impact on the Customs clearance procedure established in Cameroon
Dossier
... In 2016, the Cameroon government opted to impose a systematic scanning policy for containers on both their import and export. This article assesses the impact of this mechanism in the Customs clearance procedure, focusing, in turn, on its efficiency, how it is generally perceived by private‑sector importers and stakeholders, and the difficulties created by its implementation.   On 26 June 2006, a mobile scanner was installed for the first time at the Port of Douala, in accordance with resolutions resulting from the reform process ...
Issue: WCO News 90 October 2019
Key points from the WCO’s newly-launched technology event
Events
...In June 2019, experts in Customs, trade, transport, logistics and technology gathered in Baku, Azerbaijan, to discuss matters relating to the various technologies used to manage flows of goods, people and means of conveyance across borders, with a focus on both technological products, services and tools that are primarily physical and those that derive their primary value from data. This newly-launched annual event, which merged the WCO’s long-running IT Conference & Exhibition with its newer Technology & Innovation Forum, has the same broad objective, namely a platform to ...
Issue: WCO News 91 February 2020
Customs support Uruguay energy revolution
Dossier
...In the last decade Uruguay experienced a true energy revolution. Back at the turn of the century oil accounted for 27% of Uruguay’s imports and a new pipeline was just about to begin supplying gas from Argentina. Today hydroelectric, biomass, solar and wind power plants provide 94.5% of the country’s electricity. Wind turbines fill the country’s ports on their way to installation and are one of the biggest item on import balance sheet. Customs supported this change. Control processes on imports of machines, materials or large-volume parts, which are used in wind farms, have in ...
Issue: WCO News 92 June 2020
COVID-19 and its impact on Customs and trade
Dossier
...The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our lives in ways that we never imagined. One thing, however, has become very clear; the continued importance of global trade and of initiatives supporting the smooth flow of goods across borders, especially essential goods to areas where they are most needed. Globalization, as Frank Appel our CEO recently stated, is here to stay. At Deutsche Post DHL, the world’s largest logistics company and the world’s most international company, we have seen first-hand the impact of this pandemic on global trade as well as the ability of Customs officers to c...
Issue: WCO News 93 October 2020
Overview of simplification on Customs valuation in the European Union
Dossier
... In the EU, the “simplification for the determination of amounts being part of the Customs value of the goods” under the transaction value method allows operators to avoid the burden of a two-step declaration – i.e. a simplified declaration followed by a supplementary declaration – and to finalise Customs valuation declarations without delay in situations where there is no risk for the collection of import duties. Such simplifications are becoming increasingly relevant given the growing number of value elements, such as royalties or commiss...
Issue: WCO News 95 – June 2021
An overview of Philippines Customs’ journey towards transformation
Dossier
...When I was appointed to the top position in the Philippines Bureau of Customs (BOC) in October 2018, I was confronted with challenges aplenty, from administrative to operational concerns and systemic deficiencies that made the Bureau vulnerable to corrupt practices. For more than two years now, my team and I have been working tirelessly to reform the negatives, transform the organization, and perform our mandate. People The first priority was to boost the organization’s manpower component to ensure efficie...
Issue: WCO News 96 October 2021
Governments should consider waiving taxes on transport costs until we are back to “normal”
Point of View
... The exponential increase in transport costs over the past few months has placed a strain on importers and on economic recovery. One solution would be for governments to waive taxes on these costs. In Israel, the law already allows for such an exemption in the case of special circumstances beyond the importer’s control. At the beginning of 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic began to take hold, the production of goods ground to a halt in many countries and shipping companies reduced the number of cargo ships leaving ports. The usual flow of import...
Issue: WCO News 97 – Issue 1 / 2022
Trade digitization on a global scale: how far are we?
Dossier: Destination....Data!
...One positive outcome from the COVID-19 pandemic was the boost in the digitization of interactions and operations in many sectors of society. Digitization is a relatively easy concept to understand. It is the process of converting information into a digital format, in other words, bits and bytes. A digital version of an object, image, sound, document or signal (usually an analog signal) is generated through a series of ones and zeroes and can be exchanged automatically machine-to-machine without manual intervention. Digitization is foundational and a prerequisite to digitalization, wh...
Issue: WCO News 98 – Issue 2 / 2022
High-performance analytical tools to revolutionize Customs control
Point of View
...There are many suppliers of analytical tools that Customs can call on to enhance its risk assessment capabilities. Some propose to use selectivity models and specialized databases to analyse the transactions that Customs has to ensure are compliant. It is advisable, however, to carry out a thorough evaluation of the tools on offer, in order to be sure that the technology performs well. Below, we will describe the model that we used to evaluate the services of a supplier, stressing how important data on companies is for the purpose of thorough profiling. ...
Issue: WCO News 99- Issue 3 / 2022
The AI revolution is underway, and this is good news for Customs
Dossier: Disruptive Technologies
...Customs authorities are showing a growing interest in adopting artificial intelligence (AI), the broad category of science that entails simulating human thinking capability and behaviour. As stated in a joint paper published by the World Customs Organization, (WCO) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) entitled The role of advanced technologies in cross-border trade: A Customs perspective, “around half of Customs authorities use some combination of big data analytics, AI and machine learning, while the other half plans to do so in the future.” AI has become one of the m...
Issue: WCO News 100 – Issue 1 / 2023
Providing diversified learning: some innovative practices of China Customs
Dossier: Managing Knowledge
...In March 2018, the Chinese government decided to integrate China’s entry-exit inspection and quarantine duties and workforce in 306 ports nationwide into China Customs. The former entry-exit inspection and quarantine officers then commenced working as Customs officers. This marked the birth of the new China Customs, which now counts more than 100,000 staff. China Customs explained, back in October 2018, how it achieved the full integration of Customs and the inspection and quarantine services by developing completely new clearance procedures and information technology (IT) systems ...
Issue: WCO News 101 – Issue 2 / 2023
Inter-agency cooperation – the case of Argentina
Dossier: Fragile Borders
... In Argentina, the Customs, the National Gendarmerie, the Argentine Naval Prefecture, the Airport Security Police and the Federal Police are all responsible for protecting the country’s territory. Cooperating with these agencies is crucial for Customs in remote territories where security is a major issue. This article explains the collaboration framework which is in place, as well as measures taken to strengthen ties and build trust between those bodies. It is also available in ...
Issue: WCO News 102 – Issue 3 / 2023
Integrating ports and Customs information systems in a cloud environment: a game changer for digital transformation
Dossier: Focus on the port environment
... In today’s interconnected world, the efficient movement of goods across borders is crucial to most economies. Ports and Customs play pivotal roles here. In this environment, as in many others, efficiency means digitalization of processes, and seamless flows of information. One critical decision shapes the organization’s digital journey: should ports and Customs information systems be deployed on-premises or via a cloud infrastructure? Traditionally, on-premises infrastructures are reliable, but I believe ports and Customs authorities should embrace th...
Issue: WCO News 103 – Issue 1 / 2024
Engaging partners to expand evidence base knowledge: overview of the work done to shed light on the efficiency and impact of some anti-corruption measures
Dossier: Engaging partners
... The WCO Secretariat, while supporting Customs administrations in their efforts to combat corruption and safeguard integrity, identified through its Anti-Corruption and Integrity Promotion (A-CIP) Programme recurring questions regarding anti-corruption measures for which the knowledge available was insufficient. To bridge knowledge gaps and help with Customs’ responses, it turned to the U4 Anti-Corruption Helpdesk, via its funding partner, the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation. This article presents four papers which were prepared through this par...
Issue: WCO News 104 – Issue 2 / 2024
French Customs rewards its officers’ innovative practices
Panorama
...In mid-October 2023, French Customs launched a competition for its 16,546 officers. The aim was to provide a platform for competitors to showcase their implemented or developing innovative practices – in the form of working methods, processes or equipment – to their peers. Under the competition rules, the practices put forward were required to: be operational currently or be rolled out presently; introduce an innovative feature; bring about a significant improvement to Customs missions or to the day-to-day operations of Customs departments ...
Issue: WCO News 105 – Issue 3 / 2024
How Brazil transformed Customs control through artificial intelligence and other technologies
Dossier: Illicit Trade
... The landscape formed by IT Customs systems in Brazil has undergone significant transformation in recent years, redefining how the Customs Administration manages and mitigates risks. Through the innovative use of artificial intelligence, including machine learning and real-time monitoring technology, Brazil has enhanced its ability to detect suspicious transactions and respond to threats, thereby strengthening the integrity of international trade operations. This article provides an update on the progress, challenges, and prospects concerning these pioneer...
Issue: WCO News 77
Customs laboratories in the United States: at the frontline of fighting fraud
Focus
...In late December 2010, the news broke about a Seattle court case involving counterfeit honey. A 70-year old Bellevue, Washington man, Chung Po Liu, had been sentenced to a year and a day in prison and was ordered to pay 400,000 US dollars (USD) in restitution for importing falsely declared Chinese honey. Liu was trying to avoid paying USD 2.9 million in tariffs on the honey, which had been shipped through the Philippines and Thailand where it was re-labelled to make it appear as if it were a product of those countries. But aside from attempting to avoid paying millions of dollars in ...
Issue: WCO News 78
2015 WCO Photo Competition
Dossier
...“Border ahead” is the caption of this year’s winning entry from Sudan Customs. The photo was taken at the the Askeit border post and shows goods trucks ready to cross the border with Egypt. Since April 2015, this border p...
Issue: WCO News 79
Customs, cultural goods and data
Focus
... For years, Customs administrations have been able to transform the raw information they collect on drugs, weapons, and humans trafficking into data which could be analysed to provide meaningful insights in the fight against these illegal activities. However, when it comes to the illicit trade in cultural goods, progress achieved in data collection is some way behind that obtained in other transnational crime areas. This article identifies the data which needs to be collected, stored and analysed following the seizure of cultural goods, and how it can be used ...
Issue: WCO News 81
Assessing Single Window performance: an overview of the peer review exercise undertaken in five African countries
Panorama
... In the 20-plus years since first being established in Singapore and Sweden, Single Windows (SWs) have remained the central focus of border clearance strategies. The implementation of such an environment is generally seen by trade experts around the world as a very practical means of improving border clearance performance. Although the SW is but one aspect of a myriad of mechanisms to improve the effectiveness of trade facilitation, it is quite an important one. This article presents an overview of a project undertaken by the African Alliance for e-Commerce (A...
Issue: WCO News 80
Thoughts on ‘Big Data’ and our real world
Point of View
...There has been much hype, and for good reason, around the Big Data revolution. Dramatic advances in technology have made it possible to develop services with large volumes of data that could never have been done with smaller data sets – allowing authorities to spot new patterns, and identify threats in near real-time. The ability to process data at speed has allowed extraordinary advances such as those which enable planes to fly safely by autopilot, and cars to navigate their own path more efficiently and safer than when driven by human beings. Why then has this power not yet bee...
Issue: WCO News 82
Project INAMA: situation analysis and first results
Focus
...Launched in October 2014, the INAMA project aims to strengthen the enforcement capacity of Customs administrations in Sub-Saharan Africa, while focusing on the illegal trade in wildlife, particularly on species listed in the appendices of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The Convention regulates international trade in CITES-listed animals and plants, and this involves addressing both legal and illegal trade. For domestic or international trade in wildlife to be described as illegal or as ‘illicit wildlife trafficking,’ w...
Issue: WCO News 83
Border workforce well-being: Canada takes care of its employees
Panorama
...The health and wellness of our workforce is critical to the success of modern border management organizations. While the operating environments differ between each of our countries – for example, some of us work in an armed environment, or within different legal frameworks – we all share a common purpose. We work to protect our country’s security, while enabling prosperity within a complex range of border-related threats. To be successful, all of us must count on a strong and enabled workforce. At the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), we work hard to support our employees a...
Issue: WCO News 84
Fragile borders and Customs activities in a post-conflict situation: the case of the Central African Republic
Panorama
...  The Central African Republic (CAR) gained independence in 1960, but has a chequered history of coups d’état and ongoing guerrilla attacks. In 2013, Séléka – a Muslim-dominated coalition of rebel groups from the north, which ousted the former President François Bozizé – became embroiled in conflict with the “anti-balaka,” a resistance network of Christian self-defence militia. Hostilities between the two groups declined after a de facto partition was established between the Christian south and the Muslim north, but were superseded by an outbreak o...
Issue: WCO News 85
Leveraging data analysis to identify irregularities at the border between Peru and Ecuador
Dossier
...Our names are Mary and Edwin, and we are Customs officers working in the city of Tumbes, located on the northern Peruvian coast, only 30 km from the Ecuadorian border. Despite the fact that we work in different sections of the Administration, we both have an interest in, and passion for, international commerce, particularly with regard to regional integration initiatives. In fact, we both believe that the development and performance of a Customs administration’s capacity are fully contingent on its ability to establish high levels of cooperation and coordination with neighbouring Customs ...
Issue: WCO News 86
The HS lights the way for traders
Dossier
... As industry continues to innovate, the work on amending the Harmonized System is never complete. This article looks at the origin and evolution of LED products to illustrate how the System can adapt to product developments over time, lighting the way for traders and guaranteeing the flow of legitimate trade across international borders. The international Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System, also known as the Harmonized System or HS, is a powerful instrument of trade. Every five years after the conclusion of the WCO’s review cycl...
Issue: WCO News 87
Why governments and Customs continue to need their own classification system for goods
Point of View
...The WCO’s Harmonized System, or HS, is a vital element of Customs. But classification systems are common, so what makes a specialized Customs classification system so important that Customs administrations continue to put much work and time into having their own classification system? The HS does not just classify goods based on what they are; it classifies goods to meet the needs of governments and Customs alike. There are a multitude of classification systems in use: SITC, CPC, CPA, NAPCS, NICE, GPC, GHS, and ATC. Between international, national and private classification systems...
Issue: WCO News 88
ONE Record: the next milestone in the digitalization of air cargo data
Dossier
...When electronic data interchange (EDI) was introduced half a century ago, it rang in an era of business automation. Two decades later, in the eighties, standards began to converge towards the UN/EDIFACT standard, which set the foundations for global data exchange between businesses. Today, 95% of documents exchanged electronically in air freight use a “dialect” of EDI called Cargo IMP (interchange message procedures) or Cargo XML, its descendant and successor. I have been an engineer since the eighties and cherish its technologies, but I am somewhat shocked that airfreigh...
Issue: WCO News 89
Customs and industry collaborate to develop a unified file format for non-intrusive inspection devices
Dossier
...In April 2019, the WCO SAFE Working Group endorsed a document providing a summary of the technical specification for the proposed unified X-ray file format for non-intrusive inspection (NII) devices, codenamed the Unified File Format (UFF). Endorsement of the summary document by the WCO’s Policy Commission and Council in June 2019 would close Phase 2 of the UFF Development Programme. Background The WCO has been leading the initiative to develop a standard NII data format since 2016. Once universally deploye...
Issue: WCO News 90 October 2019
Dubai Customs uses artificial intelligence to boost productivity
Panorama
...Improving workplace productivity and helping people get their jobs done efficiently is critical for Customs administrations that have to deal with an increase in the number of cross-border movements, be it cargo or people. With a forecasted growth in trade and travel being driven by EXPO 2020, Dubai Customs decided, in 2018, to leverage artificial intelligence (AI), using it to develop a tool that would enable it to observe work data and employee behavior as a means of identifying ways to reduce the time required to undertake a task while improving quality and maximizing staff produc...
Issue: WCO News 91 February 2020
Illegal logging under the microscope
Dossier
...The global demand for timber, and its products, is only partly being met from legal sources. According to a 2012 report from INTERPOL and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), illegal logging accounts for between 15 and 30% of the volume of all forestry products. This share is even higher in tropical countries where 50 to 90% of timber is deemed to have be...
Issue: WCO News 92 June 2020
Customs brokers and the COVID-19 crisis
Dossier
... Early 2020 saw the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic to almost every country on the planet. Healthcare workers, road hauliers, logistics specialists, international freight forwarders, agrifood cooperatives… much has been said and written in the media about the problems faced by these groups of professionals as a result of the crisis. Are Customs brokers facing the same challenges? AKANEA – publisher of a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution for Customs declarations – decided to find out by carrying out a survey among Customs brokers based in France....
Issue: WCO News 93 October 2020
Smart and seamless Customs control to serve and protect global travel
Point of View
...Statistics have shown that criminals are increasingly active in seeking out and exploiting the vulnerabilities of air travel to illegally smuggle dangerous, prohibited and restricted items by air. The WCO Illicit Trade Report 2019 reveals that “in 2018, 126 countries submitted 45,497 drug trafficking cases to the WCO…trafficking through the mail and by air were the second and third most prevalent means of conveyance”. With the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing is required and manual inspections by Customs officials may be not only undesirable but also unaccepta...
Issue: WCO News 94 February 2021
What the example of Montenegro’s new pre-arrival processing capabilities tell us about Customs performance measurement
Dossier
...* The views expressed in this article are the authors’ own and do not necessarily represent those of their organisations In June 2019, the Montenegro Customs Administration (MCA) implemented a new Customs clearance procedure that uses pre-arrival data to fast-track Customs clearance of express cargo. Within just a few months, this pre-arrival processing (PAP) system enabled the MCA to improve its capability significantly, allowing it to clear parcels within one hour of arrival. ...
Issue: WCO News 95 – June 2021
Ensuring gender equality and diversity: Indonesia’s experience
Dossier
... In 2000, the President of Indonesia issued a decree requesting all government agencies to integrate the concerns and experiences of women as well as of men into the planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluation of policies and activities. This strategy, known as “gender mainstreaming”, aims at achieving gender equality. In this article, Indonesia Customs explains the proactive strategy it has adopted to ensure gender equality and diversity in the workplace.   In many countries, women and men have different living conditions, ...
Issue: WCO News 96 October 2021
Dubai Customs launches an app to help with goods classification
Panorama
...Trade operators required to classify their goods in the Unified Customs Tariff of countries belonging to the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) now have a helpful application (app) at their disposal. The app, called Al Munasiq (The Harmonizer), enables them to look up a tariff code by either entering an item’s description, capturing a photo of the item using their smartphone camera, or uploading an existing photo/picture to the app. ...
Issue: WCO News 97 – Issue 1 / 2022
Managing export restrictions of COVID-19 vaccines: the experience of Belgium
Panorama
...In 2020, the European Commission signed Advance Purchase Agreements (APAs) with COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers on behalf of the European Union (EU) Member States to ensure affordable and timely access to COVID-19 vaccines for their population. Financial support had been given to vaccine manufacturers to enable them to increase production. At the end of 2020, some manufacturers announced that they would not supply the vaccine quantities which were destined for the Union and which they had pledged. This was in potential breach of their contractual commitments. In January 2021, the Comm...
Issue: WCO News 98 – Issue 2 / 2022
Protecting importers’ information while improving Customs controls
Point of View
... Customs administrations and trade operators both want to reduce the complexity of compiling and exchanging data. However, there can be tension between the Customs administration’s need to access data and the company’s need to protect confidential information. This article presents two solutions for analysing and reporting data which ensure strong data protection by allowing access to the data without the need to move them around. In today’s digital economy, success is measured by how well data-based insights are generated at the r...
Issue: WCO News 99- Issue 3 / 2022
The Future of Trade Lies in Artificial Intelligence
Dossier: Disruptive Technologies
...World trade is the lifeblood of the global economy. It not only is a vital component in the ongoing operations of businesses (large and small), governments and NGOs around the world, it has the power to grow economies, increase productivity and transform the quality of life for citizens in the nations who are open to international trade. This year, the value of global trade is steadily on the rise, with the export/import industry moving past the numerous challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020,  ...
Issue: WCO News 100 – Issue 1 / 2023
Knowledge transfer: Serbia Customs shares its experience
Dossier: Managing Knowledge
...The Serbia Customs Modernization Plan covering 2019 to 2023 recognized that the success of its implementation relies heavily on having qualified and professional Customs officials. It therefore provided for the development of a Human Resource Strategy to manage its human capital in a way that aligns with the organization’s overall mission, goals and future aspirations. By adopting a clearly defined policy for managing people, based on principles such as equity and transparency, the Administration wished to ensure that staff motivation is high and to foster a work culture which offe...
Issue: WCO News 101 – Issue 2 / 2023
UNOCT’s Fusion Cells Programme – a model for inter-agency cooperation in counter-terrorism
Dossier: Fragile Borders
... The United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) established a Fusion Cells Programme in January 2020 to support United Nations Member States in developing national mechanisms for the exchange and analysis of counter-terrorism related information and the development of strategic and operational intelligence products, such as threat assessments. The Programme has rolled out a delivery model based on international good practice and processes that have proven to be successful in improving national inter-agency coordination. ...
Issue: WCO News 102 – Issue 3 / 2023
Georgia Ports and US Customs and Border Protection – a partnership that works
Dossier: Focus on the port environment
...The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) develops, maintains and operates ocean and inland river ports within Georgia, United States. Its top priority is to ensure the seamless movement of cargo for its customers while enforcing security and environmental protection requirements. For more than 30 years, the GPA has fostered a trusted partnership with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (USCBP) to ensure it is doing all it can in this regard. This partnership encompasses all levels of the Authority. GPA President and CEO Griff Lynch, staff from the Customer Service and Container Operations, a...
Issue: WCO News 103 – Issue 1 / 2024
Saudi Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) introduces Clearance Within Two Hours Initiative
Panorama
...Five years ago, clearing shipments imported through Saudi ports of entry was a lengthy process that could take importers up to 12 days, and 8 days on average. To facilitate reporting and the exchange of data between all parties involved in the clearance of goods, whether private or governmental, 2017 saw the introduction of a national electronic system for the management of cross-border trade operations, called FASAH. FASAH acts as a Single Window environment, connecting all the organizations involved in the regulation of trade, such as environment, commerce and agriculture authoriti...
Issue: WCO News 104 – Issue 2 / 2024
Detector dogs: Polish Customs aims to foster regional cooperation
Panorama
... Trained dogs are incredible chemical sensors, far better than even the most advanced technological device. But training novice handlers and dogs is a highly technical and challenging task. Polish Customs initially benefited from foreign technical assistance to build its capacity in this domain, but it has now developed enough expertise to help others, and aims to foster the exchange of expertise in a field of increasing promise and interest. From humble beginnings, a vibrant training centre ha...
Issue: WCO News 105 – Issue 3 / 2024
Leveraging big data: China Customs’ journey towards data-driven smart risk management
Dossier: Illicit Trade
...In 2022, the WCO and its Members identified “Technology and Innovation” as one of the three focus areas of the WCO Strategic Plan 2022-2025. For the past few years, China Customs has been implementing the concept of “Smart Customs, Smart Borders and Smart Connectivity”, which established a roadmap towards digital and smart solutions for Customs control, governance and cooperation. Implementing the concept led China Customs to look into ways to integrate big data and artificial intelligence (AI) into its data analytics tools. It might be useful to start this article by explain...
Issue: WCO News 77
Mexico launches new strategy to combat informality
Panorama
... With a view to achieving its maximum potential, Mexico recently launched a historic set of structural reforms aimed primarily at increasing productivity. To support these necessary programmes, actions and investments, the Government outlined a strategy to strengthen public expenditure, including amongst its strategic objectives the consolidation of a tax system that is simple, progressive and enhances revenue and formality. Informality is a threat to economic and social development. It is a major factor contributing to poverty, affecting nearly ...
Issue: WCO News 78
Signing ceremonies
Dossier
... The WCO and Jordan signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the creation of a Regional Training Centre in Amman. A Cooperation Agreement was also signed between the WCO and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) t...
Issue: WCO News 79
Supporting private sector engagement – the CBSA’s stakeholder engagement model
Panorama
...Canada is internationally recognized as one of the best places in the world to do business. If it is to maintain its competitive edge, increase productivity and spur innovation, Canada must constantly strive to improve the conditions for doing business. The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) plays a critical role in ensuring that businesses can continue to thrive in a global context. To achieve this, the CBSA collaborates regularly with the private sector as a valued partner in the Customs process in order to streamline and simplify the border experience. Whether through workshops ...
Issue: WCO News 81
Improving cocaine profiling for better law enforcement in Italy
Panorama
...A basic need of any law enforcement agency is to be able to positively identify controlled substances in seized drug samples, as well the purity of the drug, which will support legal proceedings and, hopefully, result in successful convictions. Research aimed at shedding light on the chemical profile of seized drugs is also of great relevance in determining their characteristics, such as their place of origin and processing, as well as trafficking methods. Combined with the results of criminal investigations, this data could be used to establish connections between drug gangs and suppliers,...
Issue: WCO News 80
Quantifying the illicit trade in tobacco: a matter of public interest and self-interest
Point of View
...Scientists determined long ago that there is a direct causal link between smoking and ill-health for both smokers and passive smokers. Despite overwhelming evidence, some stakeholders continued to peddle doubt regarding the health implications until this false contention was no longer tenable. Research has also shown that tobacco control regulations, such as higher taxes, bans on smoking in public places, advertising bans, purchaser age restrictions, and plain packaging reduce tobacco consumption rates, and thus positively impact human health. Although the evidence for this is conclu...
Issue: WCO News 82
Customs, playing a key role in protecting the ozone layer and mitigating climate change
Focus
...The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer has been in the news a great deal recently. This is something quite unusual for a ‘lesser known’ convention. But how has this landmark environmental treaty, which some see as the most successful international agreement of any kind, managed to effectively halt the destruction of the ozone layer as well as making a huge contribution to combatting climate change? Dedicated and vigilant Customs officers – that’s how. The stratospheric ozone layer is the thin layer of the atmosphere that protects life on ear...
Issue: WCO News 83
China’s latest initiatives to enhance Customs integrity and compliance
Panorama
... China Customs has rolled out a series of measures to enhance staff integrity at all administrative levels and to promote trader compliance across all sectors. Four of the latest initiatives introduced in this regard are described below, namely the extension of the functions of the Discipline and Integrity Monitoring Bureau, the use of automated random selections to decide on consignments to be controlled, the publication of business credibility statuses, and the undertaking of trader satisfaction surveys on Customs’ service and procedural fairness. ...
Issue: WCO News 84
Saudi Customs launches an AEO programme
Panorama
...Saudi Customs is the latest Customs administration to implement an authorized economic operator (AEO) programme. In doing so, its objective is to modernize border processing and support the trade facilitation objectives outlined in “Vision 2030,” a national blueprint for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to achieve its long-term goals and expectations that was announced in April 2016. Vision 2030 Vision 2030 outlines a new national direction for Saudi Arabia, and relies on the following three pillars to achieve...
Issue: WCO News 85
Air passenger control: how Brazil changed the game
Dossier
...In 2013, as Brazil was preparing to host the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games, the Brazilian Customs administration started exploring ways to improve air passenger control in order to be able to effectively process the athletes and millions of tourists who were expected to attend or participate in these events. The remarkable growth of international air traffic in the last decade was already challenging the Customs service whose traditional targeting techniques were deemed inadequate to properly manage the security risk posed by travellers. Two major investments were made by...
Issue: WCO News 86
How industry engages on classification matters at the WCO
Dossier
... How does a specific product become the subject of a global classification decision at the WCO? What information is considered when amendments are made to the Harmonized System (HS) nomenclature? And how can a company or industry sector engage at the WCO to support classification decisions and HS amendments? Involvement and information from industry is critical in making classification decisions for complex commodities and keeping the HS up to date with technological developments and changes in trade flows. Because it moves parts and fin...
Issue: WCO News 87
Addressing challenges related to Customs controls in free zones
Point of View
...Trade has always been one of the manifestations of freedom and power. The idea of a “free port” can be traced back to 167 BC, when the Roman Senate made a decision to turn the then Roman island Delos into a free port[1]. City-States in the early Middle Ages, such as Venice, operated in a way that could nowadays be defined as free ports or free zones. The cities of Hamburg and Bremen, being key players in the Hanseatic League in the North and Baltic seas in the 13th century were another manifestation of this phenomenon. However, it is commo...
Issue: WCO News 88
Working as a WCO Professional Associate: a participant shares his experience
Panorama
...After a 10-year career in various positions at Benin Customs, I felt the need to go and acquire some skills at the WCO in order to gain a better understanding of the rules and operation of the Organization and to fulfil my dream of working for an international organization, even if only for a few months. Therefore, in 2016, when the invitation to submit nominations for the Career Development Programme (CDP) had been sent out by the WCO, I was keen to submit an application. At the time, I was heading up the rapid intervention service, also known as the “mobile brigade,” with respo...
Issue: WCO News 89
Potential uses of geodata for border management
Dossier
...The management of land or maritime borders is different from that of points of entry such as ports or airports, where the main constraint is not the scale of the territory, but rather the scale of the flows. If time is the principle constraint in ports or airports, then space is the main challenge with respect to the governance of borderlands. In such a context, the use of geospatial data and information, i.e. data associated with a specific location­ – longitude and latitude coordinates – could provide Customs officers on the ground with relevant information, which they can act...
Issue: WCO News 90 October 2019
Botswana’s perspective on ensuring business continuity when transitioning from its Customs IT system to a more comprehensive national trade platform
Panorama
... The Botswana Unified Revenue Service recently implemented a new, modern IT system to manage their foreign trade operations. The migration from the old to the new system had to be smooth to ensure business continuity. This article presents the rationale behind the migration, looks at the challenges and lessons learned from the process, and highlights the benefits that accrued to the government and the trade community. As part of a strategy to improve the country’s trade competitiveness, Botswana’s Cabinet approved, in early 2015, the establis...
Issue: WCO News 91 February 2020
How digitalization combined with artificial intelligence can increase sustainability in global supply chain operations
Dossier
... Increasing the efficiency of transportation is key to reducing the impact of trade operations on the environment. To achieve significant results, Customs, border agencies, traders and logistics operators must digitalize their processes and share relevant data. However, such efforts will not bear fruit unless they go hand in hand with the use of computers that are able to exploit vast datasets thanks to innovative algorithms. In this article, MJC2, a company providing scheduling systems and optimization software, explains how the combination of arti...
Issue: WCO News 92 June 2020
Controlling the invisible trade: wild plant resources and their sustainability
Dossier
... With the current global spotlight on wild animal markets as a possible source of the COVID-19 epidemic, it is easy to forget that the biggest flows of “wildlife” in trade involve plants, not animals.  There are also important conservation and health reasons to keep a close eye on the wild plant trade sector during this global health emergency. During the COVID-19 outbreak, the use of wild plants as herbal ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine formulations and other herbal-based products around the world is anticipated to increase dramatically. This...
Issue: WCO News 93 October 2020
Implementation of e-tariff platforms gathers momentum in Africa
Panorama
... Lack of transparency on cross-border procedures has been identified as one of the first “choke points” in global supply chains. To provide economic operators with easy access to Customs tariffs as well as a clear view of measures to be taken when importing or exporting goods, many countries have developed electronic tariff (e-tariff) platforms. Recognizing the massive benefits such platforms offer to both Customs and trade, a number of African countries are jumping on the bandwagon.   When commodities are traded internationally, ...
Issue: WCO News 94 February 2021
TradeTrust: accelerating the digitalization of international trade
Dossier
... Singapore is spearheading the implementation of TradeTrust, which is a framework comprised of a set of globally accepted standards to facilitate the digitalization of documents used in international trade and logistics and their interoperability, and also a set of software components that connect to a blockchain backbone IT infrastructure. Economic operators and public and private institutions using TradeTrust will create a global network of trusted partners for the exchange and verification of digital trade documentation across borders. The ultimate objectiv...
Issue: WCO News 94 February 2021
Improving Strategic Trade Detection and Classification through Machine Learning
Dossier
...Ensuring the enforcement of a national strategic trade control (STC) system is a key requirement for all Customs administrations. Strategic goods comprise weapons of mass destruction (WMD), conventional weapons, and the materials, technology and equipment that may be used in their development or delivery. Many of these commodities have both civil and military applications and are called dual-use goods. In a well-functioning STC system, traders apply for permits or licences as required, proactively comply with trade control obligations, and commerce proceeds. However, traders’ compl...
Issue: WCO News 95 – June 2021
Australian Border Force Detector Dog Program
Dossier
...The Australian Border Force (ABF) Detector Dog Program (DDP) is a national program divided into two sub-sections: Operations – responsible for seven regional operational units in Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. Breeding and training – responsible for the purpose breeding of detector dogs, and for the development and training of handlers and dogs to produce a high-quality detector dog team. This article focuses on the latter, and more specifically on the work carried out at the National Detector Dog Program Fac...
Issue: WCO News 96 October 2021
African Continental Free Trade Area: Background and Role of Customs
Panorama
...Africa has a long history of initiatives aiming at supporting regional economic cooperation. Let me give a few examples. The Southern African Customs Union (SACU) dates back to the 1889 Customs Union Convention between the British Colony of the Cape of Good Hope and the Orange Free State Boer Republic, which was expanded by a 1910 agreement to include the Union of South Africa and the then British High Commission territories of present-day Lesotho, Botswana, Eswatini and Namibia. The Mano River Union (MRU), which comprises Liberia, Sierra Leone, Cote d’Ivoire and Gui...
Issue: WCO News 97 – Issue 1 / 2022
How Brazil gave true meaning to partnership