Right now, governments, the business community and individuals are focused on improving their respective financial situations as a matter of absolute necessity during this current global economic … downturn. Trade is a key driver of economic performance, and implementing a coordinated border management strategy involving new levels of integration and collaboration between public and private sectors is widely seen as critical to bolster trade flows, while facilitating the achievement of national economic and societal goals.

As countries developed Customs forms, requirements, and automated systems overthe years,there waslittle coordination and consultation among them. As a result, there are thousands of data elements, … hundreds of different Customs forms, and as many different Customs systems as there are Customs administrations. This lack of coordination has created a confusing and confounding environment. These different requirements are rife with redundancy and duplication and are expensive to maintain and operate. Governments created this problem; governments can correctthissituation – by using the WCO Data Model.

The WCO has established a global database of preferential trade agreements and related rules of origin in accordance with the Action Plan to improve the understanding and application of preferential … rules of origin endorsed by the WCO Council in June 2007.

The Customs and Excise Department of Hong Kong, China (HKC)is a progressive and forward-looking customs organizationwhich contributesto the stability and prosperity of the community. We act with … confidence, serve with courtesy and strive for excellence.

In line with the Korean Government's drive for "Green Growth", the Korea Customs Service (KCS) developed its Green Customs vision and released its plan to combat illegal transactions of goods … detrimental to the environment in October 2008. This comprehensive longterm plan was produced by adjusting the recommendation on environmental protection adopted by the WCO Council in June 2008 to Korea’s circumstances.

It all started when the G7 deemed standardization and a reduction in the volume of data required for international trade operations essential for facilitating the movement of goods at borders, … the key elements undoubtedly being information and documentation.

Headquartered at the Vienna International Centre in Vienna, Austria, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) isthe world’s centre of cooperation in the nuclear field. Established in 1957 … as an independent, inter-governmental organization under United Nations auspices, IAEA membership currently stands at 146 States.

Customs administrations have worked diligently for more than two decades to increase voluntary compliance with Customs regulations, mainly by making it easier to obtain information aboutregulations. … Is this diligence paying off? Can more be done to enable voluntary compliance and, perhaps even more important, to facilitate trade?

The EastWest Institute partnered with Italy, 2009 Chair of the G-8, and the World Customs Organization to host the Sixth Worldwide Security Conference (WSC6) at WCO headquarters in Brusselsfrom … 18 to 19 February 2009 with the theme ‘From the Global War on Terror, to Common Security and Joint Action’.

At the 2009 WCO IT Conference and Exhibition which took place from 22 to 24 April 2009 in Marrakesh (Morocco), almost 600 delegates from Customs, other border regulatory agencies and the private … sector met to analyze the international trade single window concept and to consider the benefits associated with such a system.