All of us remember where we were ten years ago on September 11, 2001 or 9/11 as it has become known. Th e violence of 9/11 changed the world forever and its ramifi cations were equally felt by … the Customs and trade world. Security, in particular global trade security, became a priority policy objective and was enhanced as a vital component in Customs’ existing border protection portfolio to prevent such an attack from re-occurring. Moreover, the international Customs community successfully showed that security could be enhanced while facilitating legitimate trade at the same time. Th e actions of the WCO and its membership were and are essential to national and international security and economic prosperity.

The Customs Enforcement Guide on Transshipment Fraud consists of an introduction to the problems generated by transshipments, the legal framework containing current definitions, and the distinction … between transit and transshipment. It also refers to the specifi cs of transshipments via free zones, the mechanisms used, and recommendations on how to address the risks related to transshipment fraud.

In recent years, the world has witnessed an increase in the use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Th ese devices are manufactured using chemicals that are produced by various manufacturers … and available commercially throughout the world. They are utilized within civilian industries and generally legal to purchase, store, and use.

The 2011 WCO IPR trophy was awarded to the Argentine Customs Administration for its outstanding commitment to combating counterfeiting and piracy.

The Technical Committee continues to work on the relationship between transfer pricing and Customs valuation, and is also examining technical questions that have been received from the Customs … Administration of Belarus regarding the Customs value of industrial waste products, and from Singapore Customs on the Interpretation of “condition of sale” in Article 8.1 (c) and the Application of Article 8.1 (d) with respect to payments based on projected net profits.