World Customs Organization facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
World Customs Organization

Abbreviation	WCO
Formation	26 January 1953; 72 years ago (1953-01-26)
Type	Intergovernmental organization
Location	Brussels, Belgium
Membership	186 customs administrations
Official language	English and French
Secretary General	Ian Saunders (January 2024 - present)

Headquarters building

The World Customs Organization (WCO) is an important group that helps countries work together. It is an intergovernmental organization. This means it is made up of different governments. Its main office is in Brussels, Belgium.

The WCO deals with everything about customs. Customs are the rules and taxes on goods moving between countries. The WCO creates international rules and tools. These help with things like classifying goods and checking their value. They also help with collecting customs money. The WCO works to make trade safer and easier. It also fights against fake products and illegal weapons. The organization helps countries improve their customs systems.

How the WCO Started

The idea for the WCO began on August 23, 1947. A group called the European Customs Union Study Group (ECUSG) was formed. They looked at trade issues between European countries. This group met several times over a few years.

Their work led to an agreement in 1950. This agreement created the Customs Co-operation Council (CCC). It was signed in Brussels. On January 26, 1953, the CCC had its first meeting. Seventeen countries were founding members.

Over time, more and more countries joined. In 1994, the group changed its name. It became the World Customs Organization. Today, 186 countries are members of the WCO. These countries handle over 98% of all international trade.

What the WCO Aims To Do

The WCO is known worldwide for its customs knowledge. It helps create and use modern customs systems. The organization listens to what its members need. Its tools and best practices are used around the world. They help countries manage their customs well.

The main goal of the WCO is to make customs work better. This helps member countries reach their national goals. These goals include collecting money for the government. They also include keeping the country safe. The WCO helps make trade easier and protects communities. It also helps collect information about trade.

Important Tools and Agreements

To reach its goals, the WCO uses several tools. These are agreements and guidelines for customs. Here are some of the most important ones:

• The Harmonized System (HS Convention)
  • This agreement was made in 1983. It started being used in 1988.
  • The HS is a way to classify goods. It uses codes for customs tariffs.
  • It helps collect international trade statistics.
  • The system has about 5,000 groups of goods. Each group has a six-digit code.
  • This system helps classify goods the same way everywhere.
  • The HS is also used for trade rules and checking controlled goods.

• The Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC)
  • This agreement was first made in 1974. It was updated in 1999.
  • The updated version started in 2006.
  • The RKC makes customs controls clear and easy to understand.
  • It simplifies how goods are declared and what papers are needed.
  • It uses computers as much as possible.
  • The RKC helps make trade easier and keeps controls effective.
  • It has new rules to make customs procedures simple and efficient.

• ATA Convention and the Istanbul Convention
  • These WCO agreements deal with goods brought in temporarily.
  • The ATA system lets goods move freely across borders.
  • Goods can be brought into a country for a short time without taxes.
  • A special document called an ATA carnet covers these goods.
  • This document is backed by an international guarantee system.

• The Arusha Declaration on Customs Integrity
  • This declaration was adopted in 1993 and updated in 2003.
  • It is a set of principles to promote honesty in customs.
  • It helps fight against corruption within customs offices.

• The SAFE Framework of Standards
  • This framework was adopted in 2005.
  • It helps make global trade secure and easy.
  • It has rules for keeping goods safe during international shipping.
  • It helps customs offices work together to find risky shipments.
  • It also encourages cooperation between customs and businesses.
  • This helps goods move smoothly through international trade routes.

• The Columbus Program
  • This program helps countries modernize their customs.
  • It helps them use the WCO's standards for safe and easy trade.
  • The WCO helps countries figure out what they need to improve.
  • It defines capacity building as improving knowledge and skills.
  • This helps organizations meet their goals in a lasting way.

Online Tools for Trade

The WCO has a new online platform called WCO Trade Tools. This platform includes:

• The Harmonized System (HS) from different years.
• Information on about 400 Free Trade Agreements.
• Rules for where products come from (preferential Rules of Origin).
• Texts about Valuation (how goods are valued).

This platform helps users find important trade information easily.

How the WCO is Run

The WCO is led by a Secretary General. This person is chosen by the member countries. They serve for five years. Ian Saunders from the United States became the Secretary General on January 1, 2024.

The WCO is guided by its Council. All member countries meet once a year in this Council. There are also Policy and Finance committees. These committees give advice on strategy and money.

Many other committees help the WCO. These include committees for the Harmonized System and Customs Valuation. There are also committees for Rules of Origin and Capacity Building.

Member Countries

The WCO has members from all over the world. Here are some of the countries that are part of the WCO:

• Status akin to WCO membership