For Customs to be a source of efficiency, security and prosperity, it cannot afford complacency

 

By Ian Saunders, Secretary General, World Customs Organization (WCO)

Each day, often without fanfare, Customs administrations across the globe play a crucial role in instilling safety, efficiency and integrity into global trade. For many, “Customs” evokes the image of an officer at a border post or airport, but the scope of Customs work extends far beyond that. Today, in a world defined by interconnectivity, rapid innovation and evolving threats, Customs must continuously adapt, modernise and lead.

Innovation is a constant: Customs must keep pace

The current of global trade is unrelenting. Digitalisation, automation, smart borders and data-driven risk management are transforming the nature of commerce. Legitimate trade continues to innovate, pushing the boundaries of speed and efficiency. Yet, as legal trade advances, illicit trade adapts just as quickly by exploiting loopholes, targeting weak links and undermining trust in global supply chains.

Modern Customs must not only keep pace but lead. Innovation can too easily be solely associated with incorporating new technologies like artificial intelligence and smart systems, but innovations and new tools are only as effective as the people and institutions using and supporting them. Modernisation in Customs is not only technical but also institutional. This is why the activities of the WCO are so wide-ranging, addressing policy, working methods and enablers of more effective Customs work. However, enabling member administrations to manage cross-border trade more successfully requires that the WCO, as an organisation, ensure its fitness for this purpose.

So, this is a year defined by change. Change in how the WCO operates, in what it prioritises, and how the WCO’s 186 Members engage in the work of the Organization. We are undertaking the most ambitious modernisation effort in our recent history, designed to better equip the WCO to meet the dynamic demands of international trade, safeguard public welfare and strengthen cooperation across borders.

Why we modernise

The WCO’s modernisation agenda is rooted in a fundamental goal: to bring Customs together for a safer, more prosperous and sustainable world. To ensure we can deliver on this, we are building a stronger organisation. A healthy, skilled and responsive WCO in support of Members with varied concerns is the foundation upon which our modernisation effort is built. It drives our efforts to prioritise our substantive work agenda, and our request of Members to tell and share their stories of challenges and operational successes.

The support of our Members has been instrumental in turning our modernisation vision into a practical plan. Over the past year, we’ve begun translating strategic concepts into tangible action, with new leadership recruitment processes as well as a restructured Secretariat, which is set to take effect from 1 July. These changes are designed to ensure that the WCO is more agile, responsive and better aligned with Members’ evolving needs.

Listening to and working with Customs leaders

There is no substitute for direct dialogue with Customs leaders. Over the past several weeks, I’ve been on the road meeting with the heads of Customs of the WCO’s six regions. My travels have taken me from Cairo, back home to Brussels, to San Salvador, Pretoria, Hong Kong (China) and finally Kinshasa. During regional consultations and discussions around our new three-year Strategic Plan, I have heard clear and consistent messages. Our Members are navigating rapid changes at the national level. They are seeking practical support, policy coherence and platforms for shared innovation. They are also urging us to prioritise, not in words alone, but through focused, action-oriented outcomes.

This feedback has been invaluable in shaping the WCO’s strategic direction. It reinforces that modernisation is not a uniform concept. It must reflect regional realities, national capacities and the unique operational challenges that each Customs administration faces, and ensure the WCO can more effectively advance Customs’ mission worldwide. My engagements confirm the level of commitment that exists in the Customs community. It also confirms the responsibilities that we must share as the WCO and Members, to ensure that what we do collectively is responsive, sustainable and adaptable given the environment in which we operate.

Looking ahead

This week, Heads of Customs administrations from our 186 Members will gather at the WCO in Brussels for our annual Council meeting, where our next Strategic Plan will be finalised and another important step in our modernisation efforts will be taken.

We have an obligation to reinforce the relevance of Customs, but we cannot do this alone. Our success depends on partnership with Members, with other international organisations, with private sector actors and with the communities we serve. By investing in change, embracing modernisation and speaking more clearly about our role, we can secure a stronger, safer and more prosperous global environment.

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