Articles under "#data exchange" category

Issue: WCO News 105 – Issue 3 / 2024

Digitalizing origin data exchanges: the latest work from the WCO

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...

With a view to facilitating the establishment of smoother and more efficient exchanges of information related to COs, in September 2023 the WCO launched a project to develop an interconnectivity framework for the certificate of origin. An Informal Working Group (IWG), bringing together the intere...

Issue: WCO News 103 – Issue 1 / 2024

WCO published a Study on the Digitalization of the Certificate of Origin

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 Certif...

Out of 82 responding Customs administrations that operate an authority issuance system, 48 indicated that they implement both paper-based and electronic certificates of origin; 33 responded that they implement paper-based certificates of origin only, while one administration indicated that it imp...

Issue: WCO News 97 – Issue 1 / 2022

Making digital collaboration possible: the WCO Data Model – latest developments and implementation guidance

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

A fundamental requirement for successful communication between individuals is that they all speak the same language. This is also the case for communication between electronic systems.  A common language is required to ensure that information flows seamlessly across different IT systems. In this...

Issue: WCO News 103 – Issue 1 / 2024

Developing an Ecosystem of Trust at the UK border

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 p...

Ecosystem of Trust

A key part of reshaping our border is implementing technology and data innovations. This is at the heart of the Ecosystem of Trust (EoT) project. Initially set out in the 2025 UK Border Strategy, the EoT proposed a coll...

Issue: WCO News 94 February 2021

Digitization of ATA Carnets: overview of the ICC pilot project

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...

Going digital

The ATA Carnet is still today a paper-based document, although its digitization (turning the physical paper into an electronic file) and the digitalization o...

Issue: WCO News 106 – Issue 1 / 2025

Overcoming the challenges faced by landlocked countries: the example of Bolivia

Located in the centre of South America, Bolivia is characterized by a varied topography ranging from low-lying plains to high mountain ranges. Owing to its strategic location, Bolivia has the potential to become a connecting hub between the economic regions of the Andean Community (abbreviated as...

Investment in road, Customs and logistics infrastructure

Over the past few years, the Government of Bolivia – under the administration of President Luis Alberto Arce Catacora and the President of the Bolivian National C...

Modernizing Customs

The Bolivian Customs Administration rolled out a series of advanced technologies to boost efficiency and strengthen border security. Such technologies include scanners for non-intrusive inspection of v...

Issue: WCO News 94 February 2021

How digital tools can improve compliance with SPS measures

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 ...

Many importing countries require a Sanitary/Phytosanitary Certificate which is an official document issued by a competent authority of the exporting country to the exporter. It certifies that the animals or plants, and their derived products, covered by the Certificate have been inspected and are...

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

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 Neth...

ADCS: the universal adapter for ERP systems

What auditors need is a universal adapter for ERP systems, just like we use an adapter to plug in electronic devices when we are in a country that uses a ...

Issue: WCO News 102 – Issue 3 / 2023

Implementing the principles of “Smart Borders” at a medium-sized port

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 l...

Customs risk analysis

In all EU countries, the Customs administration has the legal obligation to carry out the security and safety risk analysis on all the cargo, regardless of the EU country of destination. To do so, C...

The NMSWe is to be transformed following the establishment of a European Maritime Single Window Environment (EMSWe) by 15 August 2025. The EMSWe aims to lower the administrative burden on ship operators by harmonizing rules for the provision of the information that is required for port calls, in ...

Issue: WCO News 97 – Issue 1 / 2022

Trade digitization on a global scale: how far are we?

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. ...

The challenges behind limited adoption

There are several reasons behind the current situation:

  • The lack of coordination of digitization efforts has resulted in multiple “digital islands”, each with its own set of standard...

Issue: WCO News 98 – Issue 2 / 2022

Protecting importers’ information while improving Customs controls

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 informatio...

SFML: developing analytical algorithms without exchanging data

As an example, let us consider the case of secure federated machine learning (SFML),[1] a machine-learning technique that...

Vietnam Customs use case

In Vietnam, material used for export production can be imported duty-free. Material import and consumption are controlled by the General Departmen...

Issue: WCO News 94 February 2021

TradeTrust: accelerating the digitalization of international trade

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 ...

For example, the Bill of Lading (BL)[1] is still provided in hardcopy in many countries, creating inefficiencies. It requires time and money to courier the BL document to destination ports of discharge, plus there are risks of the BL getting lost in transit, w...

Issue: WCO News 103 – Issue 1 / 2024

Automatic Customs data exchange: a look into the system used in the Western Balkans

Customs administrations in the Western Balkans have established a platform to automatically exchange Customs data. Called “SEED”, the system has proven efficient in identifying irregularities, offences and smuggling activities, as well as in accelerating the cl...

Modules

The SEED application consists of several modules (see Figure 2) which extract data from the Parties’ CDPS. Data records are displayed in one window and can be searched, sorted by column, grouped, and exported in...

Issue: WCO News 94 February 2021

Improving data sharing with blockchain

Towards a digital transformation

COVID-19 has put immense pressure on traders and supply-chain managers and has highlighted the need for more traceability and visibility in trade transactions, and for more interoperability in IT systems,...

How it works

As soon as a company AEO certification is approved, a Customs officer in country A uploads information on that company to CADENA. The applicati...

Issue: WCO News 99- Issue 3 / 2022

Egypt adopts innovative trade document exchange system

In 2019, the Arab Republic of Egypt decided to move away from a slow and burdensome paper-based way of processing cross-border transactions to one based on automation and digitization. As part of this transformation, the country required economic operators and government entities to begin exchang...

NAFEZA was built by the Egyptian company MTS, majority-owned by the Egyptian Finance Ministry and other government entities, with CargoX providing the blockchain document transfer services. Both took into account existing norms and practices for developing single windows, as laid out in the WCO S...

Issue: WCO News 103 – Issue 1 / 2024

MERCOSUR launches Customs Data Model based on WCO standard and takes a leap forward in terms of data exchange

The Southern Common Market (known as MERCOSUR) is a regional integration process initially established by Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, and subsequently joined by Venezuela (currently suspended) and Bolivia (whose accession procedure is still underway). MERCOSUR makes its decisions thr...

The content and viability of the data model were evaluated by CCM Technical Committee No. 2 (Customs issues). This interdisciplinary work involved multiple CCM committees and subcommittees. In March 2012, during workshop on the WCO Data Model organized by the WCO Secretariat and Argentina Customs...

Issue: WCO News 104 – Issue 2 / 2024

Digitization of ATA Carnets: from pilot to implementation

Some years ago, the WCO took the initiative to bring together key stakeholders to discuss the creation of an electronic ATA Carnet (eATA) solution. ICC presented its eATA concept to the WCO back in 2016 and, with the support of the Organization, implemented an eATA...

What is the ATA Carnet System?

In each one of the countries or territories having implemented the ATA Carnet procedure, the Customs authority appoints a National Guaranteeing Association (NGA) which guarantees payment of ...

How Customs can prepare

As already explained, the ATA Carnet System provides a dedicated turnkey application – ATA Carnet Customs (ACC) – for Customs to process and manage digital Carnets. The various steps Customs s...

Issue: WCO News 93 October 2020

Maqta Gateway: Digitizing and transforming trade

Abu Dhabi is leading the region’s digital transformation drive with a view to moving all of the emirate’s trade online during 2021

Although the maritime transport industry handles 90%[1] of global trad...

Five years on, and after spending so long behind the technology curve, many of the world’s leading maritime players are now embracing a bold new era of digital innovation, and none more so than in the Arabian Peninsula, ...

Issue: WCO News 99- Issue 3 / 2022

The interconnectivity of transit systems is becoming a reality in West Africa

Connecting national Customs systems to share data on transit operations is a priority for the Customs administrations of West and Central Africa, as well as for economic operators, international institutions and development partners working in this region. The obje...

Inception

SIGMAT is the result of a long process, which involved many actors. With the financial support of the European Union (EU), the Customs administrations of some of the countries making up the Economic Community of...

Any Customs administration could eventually benefit from SIGMAT. Its implementation will not require development for those using the ASYCUDA World Customs computer system, making the adoption of SIGMAT particularly feasible for them.

However, there are some important prerequisites. Interes...

Issue: WCO News 91 February 2020

Customs partners with express carriers to fight illicit trade in Hong Kong

Hong Kong Customs’ enforcement strategy is multi-pronged. The administration attaches equal importance to developing efficient enforcement tactics, educating the public and engaging with it, maintaining close collaboration with its overseas enforcement counterpar...

Memoranda of Understanding

After some discussions, in March 2015, Hong Kong Customs signed Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with five major express courier operators, namely DHL Express (Hong Kong) Limited, Federal Expre...

Issue: WCO News 92 June 2020

Leaning forward: Singapore leverages digital data to help financial institutions augment trade finance compliance

Singapore Customs launched a Trade Finance Compliance Service on the country’s Networked Trade Platform to augment trade finance compliance efforts against money laundering and terrorist financing.

Banks and financial institutions offer multiple sol...

Trade finance and trade-based money laundering

As part of their money laundering related monitoring and reporting obligations, banks and other financial institutions have to assess whether these trade transactions are leg...

Issue: WCO News 97 – Issue 1 / 2022

Tackling Customs Compliance in DHL Express

E-commerce continues to grow, as well as the number of parcels moving across borders. The challenges to ensure the regulatory compliance of such transactions have been addressed many times in the pages of this magazine. In this article, we would like to provide an ...

A new programme

In addition to these proactive checks and to strengthen them, DHL Express is launching the Global Customs Compliance Programme, with the goal of further improving shipment integrity and commercial...

Issue: WCO News 97 – Issue 1 / 2022

Blockchain document transfer: understanding the technology and its uses

According to research, a single container shipment can generate up to 200 communications, and the administrative cost of processing the accompanying documentation is estimated to be 15‑20% of the overall cost of transporting the goods. It is therefore essential to find easier, more efficient w...

Existing model

Blockchain can help digitize the shipping industry, where ownership, traceability and security are paramount. A current processing model used by a Customs administration to receive and process advance cargo information (ACI...

Issue: WCO News 99- Issue 3 / 2022

Enhancing data collection – A call to action!

When the first discussions on the creation of the Customs Enforcement Network (CEN) were initiated during the Enforcement Committee in 1999, there was agreement that the CEN would have positive implications for the organization of Customs enforcement services around the world. The project was una...

Engaging WCO Members

As a basic principle, the CEN Charter calls on heads of Customs administrations to raise awareness among their staff as to the added value of the CEN at the national level, in order to convince them t...

“Ideas mean nothing without execution”

While the strategic initiative is critical to fulfilling our goals, every initiative has to have its own strategy. For the WCO Secretariat, this means, on the one hand, putting ...

Issue: WCO News 99- Issue 3 / 2022

nCEN: a look into user practice and upcoming upgrades

Detecting the illicit trade of prohibited or regulated commodities is extremely challenging. One way to enhance identification capacities is to analyse data related to seizures and detentions and develop a set of rules: deductive rules based on watchlists; inductive rules, using indicators or ano...

Data analysis: the case of Georgia Customs

“Smuggling trends and patterns change very fast. Having quality data on seizures is key to identify emerging risks in terms of commodities and modus operandi”, explained a representative of Georgia Customs

Communication component: the case of North Macedonia Customs

Deployments of the nCEN application in Customs administrations already possessing centralized systems for enfo...

Issue: WCO News 102 – Issue 3 / 2023

Elevating partnerships between Customs brokers and Customs authorities – the way forward

One of the benefits of being a Customs broker[1] providing services at the international level is experiencing the flexibility and efficiency of many Customs authorities. One of the challenges is dealing with inconsistencies in ...

Adaptability

Central to everything they do are Customs authorities, as any changes in Customs legislation and processes impact them. One of the clear recent examples is Br...

When co-operation succeeds and excels

War is still sadly with us in many parts of the world. Regardless of which side people are on, one of the common challenges is arrang...

Issue: WCO News 106 – Issue 1 / 2025

Kenya and Uganda tackle the challenge of exchanging images of scanned cargo

Since July 2024, the Kenya and Uganda Revenue Authorities have been exchanging images of scanned cargo generated by NII equipment and related analysis reports. The sharing of such data seems to have increased the level of compliance of traders, with fewer cases of ...

Exchanging scanned images to prevent inland diversion of goods

The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) have in the past few years enhanced their collaboration to better regulate and monito...

Issue: WCO News 101 – Issue 2 / 2023

Open Customs Blockchain: The missing piece to unlocking the broad application of distributed ledger technology for Customs?

Digitalization has simplified Customs clearance in many areas, especially in the declaration of imports and exports. However, various data discontinuities and queries unnecessarily delay cross-border process flows. A group of major logistics companies, software pro...

The added value of blockchain usage lies in the tamper-proof provision of the relevant data at an early stage in the process and in feeding information on Customs clearance back into the logistics process to make it available to the other players up and downstream of the supply chain. In this way...