Similar content

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.

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?