The inaugural session of the Brussels Customs Cooperation Council was held on 26 January 1953. This meeting was the cornerstone of the current World Customs Organisation (WCO), and is therefore remembered every year on this date by celebrating International Customs Day.
We share the message Sent by Mr. Kunio Mikuriya, Secretary General of the WCO, within the framework of this celebration.
Once again, the customs community is coming together, united in celebrating International Customs Day, whose official date is 26 January each year. This special day allows WCO Members, the WCO Secretariat and customs stakeholders around the world to dedicate themselves to promoting a specific topic. Thus, throughout 2021, under the motto: “Customs strengthen recovery, renewal and resilience for a sustainable supply chain”, the Customs community will focus on emerging from the global pandemic and supporting people and businesses by strengthening the global supply chain, strengthening collaboration, leveraging technology and putting “people” at the heart of the transformation process.
Indeed, as Customs will move towards rebuilding from the COVID-19 situation, Members will be invited to embrace digital transformation at borders, paying particular attention to automation, the use of innovative technologies and adopting collaborative approaches with all stakeholders along the supply chain.
Customs, given its unique location and mandate at borders, can contribute to a sustainable supply chain in several ways:
• Strengthening collaboration to boost the process recuperaciónThe economic impact of the pandemic on businesses has been colossal, culminating in significant disruption to global supply chains. The Herculean task of
Reconstruction cannot be undertaken in isolation, and the expertise of all border agencies and stakeholders will be a decisive factor. Customs will be called upon to demonstrate leadership during this process, at national and international levels. The COVID19 crisis has shown that coordinated border management is possible, efficient and can be further institutionalized at international and national levels. The rational implementation of the SAFE Regulatory Framework, including rules on AEOs and cooperation with other government agencies, appears to be a relevant approach in this context. Given the current situation,
Given the surge in e-commerce observed during the COVID-19 period, it would be opportune for Members to implement the WCO Framework for Standards on Cross-Border E-Commerce to address security and facilitation in the context of this new supply chain trend, in close collaboration with stakeholders.
• Adopt advanced technologies to enable renewal rather than returning to the pre-pandemic situation. The pandemic has demonstrated the importance of the major innovative and technological concepts that the WCO has been promoting for years. These include fully digital and paperless clearance methods, and the use of technology to implement effective controls and facilitate, improve and speed up processes. Regardless of the pandemic, customs administrations have been made aware – through specialised forums and conferences – of the benefits that can be gained from the integration of technologies.
based on the use of big data, telematics and the cloud in customs operations. Based on the lessons learned, customs administrations should look at the way goods are cleared at borders from a new perspective. Non-intrusive inspection devices, blockchain, artificial intelligence, sensors and connected objects and other technological advances offer tangible benefits when it comes to collecting, combining, sharing and analysing data, and these benefits should be fully exploited.
• Putting “people” at the center of change for a supply chain resistant and sustainable. In the spirit of addressing the vulnerability of customs to systemic risks such as pandemics, customs administrations will be asked to draw on lessons learned and ensure that no one is left behind as we move towards deeper transformation. In order to build greater resilience, “people” must be at the centre of the recovery model. Citizens around the world have drastically changed their daily lives to adapt to the new reality. For the same reason, customs are called upon to rethink and adapt their way of operating, and to improve the readiness of their staff through awareness-raising and capacity building for the delivery of a professional service. At the same time, the capacity of customs cannot be achieved without a single person.
recovery without integrity, diversity and inclusion. Lack of integrity in customs can distort trade and investment opportunities, undermine personal trust in public administration and ultimately jeopardize the well-being of citizens, which in times of recovery could prove to be a recipe for failure.
The WCO will continue to provide guidance and help share best practices and information; provide capacity-building support and technical assistance to Members in achieving the above objectives. As in previous years, I am fully convinced that Customs administrations and the wider Customs community will rise to the occasion and will be fully committed to actively promoting their efforts and activities aimed at strengthening “recovery, renewal and resilience for a sustainable supply chain”, including by sharing relevant practices and activities with others at WCO meetings and in the Organization’s core publications.
I wish you all a happy International Customs Day!
Dr. Kunio Mikuriya
Secretary General of the WCO
January 26, 2021
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