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The WCO secretariat is currently rounding off its work related to the implementation of the 2012 version of the Harmonized System (HS) Nomenclature, which mainly comprises updating HS publications … and tools, such as the Explanatory Notes, the Alphabetical Index and the Compendium of Classifi cation Opinions.

After having dedicated 2010 to Customs-Business Partnerships and having addressed the themes of Coordinated Border Management, risk management and the use of high-performance technologies and … tools through a number of diff erent activities, the time was ripe to focus on the cornerstone of Customs modernization: human resources and training, that is to say a “professional, knowledge-based service culture”. This is one of the building blocks of the WCO Customs in the 21st Century vision, and the theme for 2011.

Customs administrations and the IT industry gathered in Seattle from 11 to 13 May 2011 for the 10th WCO IT Conference & Exhibition to discuss developments around Cloud Computing and how this … new technology could help Customs and border security agencies to accomplish their mission of facilitating and securing legitimate international trade with higher effi ciency. Th e opening statements covered the full spectrum of issues explored during the event. Kunio Mikuriya, the Secretary General of the WCO, mentioned that borders divide but Customs connects. He regarded Cloud Computing as a means to facilitate Customs connectivity. Th e Deputy Commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection, David Aguilar, in turn emphasized the role of IT as a critical backbone of a country and, as such, ICT and Cloud Computing had to respond to the need to protect the sovereignty, privacy and confi dentiality of information.

TIACA has welcomed the WCO's decision to work towards reducing the profuse paper-based documentation that accompanies international air cargo shipments as a ‘significant step forward’.

“Screening all cargo shipments for suspicious packages is not the best way to prevent terrorist attacks,” stated US Secretary for Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, during a Policy Briefing … on securing the global supply chain organized by the European Policy Centre in Brussels in early January, instead, addressing senior international trade and security stakeholders, she called for "...an intelligence-risk-based approach."

1 January 2012 marks an important date on the international Customs and trade calendar: from then onwards the HS Nomenclature 2012 edition will be in effect.

As the global Customs community enters the Year of Knowledge it is only fitting that we have dedicated this edition's Special Dossier to knowledge with a selection of articles covering just some … of its many elements and angles.

The global economic situation has reinforced the need for Customs administrations to be adaptable. Many of us are being asked to re-look at how we function and to do more with less. During my … time as Council Chair I have been promoting three key themes for the WCO – the need for the organization to be visionary, relevant, and indispensible. To achieve this, Customs services in the 21st century need to be receptive to new ideas, to new ways of working, and to embrace change.

Administrations, just like private enterprises, are faced with an ever-changing, rapidly evolving environment. Change is right at the heart of an administration and the success of the Columbus … Programme demonstrates that Customs administrations are not lagging behind and are undertaking vast reform and modernization projects. The integration of new technologies, the internationalization of professions or the priority given to service are but a few examples of this new state of affairs.

Knowledge management is right at the heart of problems relating both to organizational performance and the technical dimension of Customs in the 21st century.

A changing environment and innovative career possibilities have given rise to new training requirements both in quantity and in quality. The search for effi ciency, the major aim when developing … skills, is based on ensuring a parallel between teaching methods and the professional context and working methods. The design and implementation of training actions, mechanisms, programmes or systems must therefore be visionary and provide an environment where both sequential training concepts and technical skills can be applied.

Recent detection of explosives in air cargo packages in October 2010 was the latest reminder of terrorist threats to the global trade supply chain which is vulnerable to disruption. Fortunately … the plot was thwarted due to specific intelligence information and the collaboration of various public and private agencies, including Customs.

The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA), the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA) and the Global Shippers … Forum (GSF) recently created the Global Air Cargo Advisory Committee (GACAG) to address global issues affecting the air cargo supply chain.

The vision of the Serbian Customs Service for the 21st Century is in line with the development vision and position of Customs administrations across the globe. Serbian Customs is continuously … developing and shaping itself by looking at the most modern Customs systems in the world, and striving to accomplish the highest level of professionalism, efficiency and security through its reform activities.

Counterfeit and pirated goods being sold over the internet, which are mainly delivered via the post, do not appear to have been affected by the economic downturn according to the 2009 Report … on EU Customs Actions to Enforce Intellectual Property Rights published by the European Commission. Increasing sales of these goods to European consumers are frustrating attempts to stem this illegal trade the Report further suggests.

Sports events are big business and the spin-off sales from merchandise are worth millions. For this reason companies who own international brands pay huge sums of money to supply products and … associate their brands with significant sporting events.

Whereas some fake goods are of poor quality and bear only a passing resemblance to the genuine article, others are similar in almost every respect. Fake drugs for example are designed to look … like real pills, and the best can fool a room of experts. This is what makes the task of distinguishing between fake and genuine products even harder.

Being the WCO’s Year of the CustomsBusiness Partnership, the Council acknowledged the contribution of the private sector to the work of Customs by witnessing the signing of renewed Memoranda … of Understanding (MOU) between the WCO and the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations, the Global Express Association, the International Federation of Customs Brokers Associations, and The International Air Cargo Association respectively.

WCO Members continue to accede to the Organization’s key instruments; a clear demonstration of the crucial role they place in assisting Customs administrations to meet the challenges and opportunities … of today’s global trading environment.

June 2010 marked the fifth anniversary of the endorsement by the WCO Council of the SAFE Framework of Standards to secure and facilitate global trade.