WCO PICARD Conference 2012

Outcomes

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Date:

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Introduction:

The WCO PICARD Programme was launched in 2006 to provide a platform to promote the professional standing of Customs business and provide an ideal channel for cooperation between Customs, academic partners and other stakeholders carrying out Customs-related research.

A key aim of the annual PICARD Conference is to promote high-level exchanges on Customs research and professionalism, where participants are provided with an opportunity to interact with their government, commercial and academic counterparts from around the world.

The Conference 2012 will be jointly organized by the WCO, and the University of Cadi Ayyad, Marrakech, Morocco, with support from the International Network of Customs Universities (INCU) and the Customs Administration of Morocco.

To learn more about the WCO PICARD Programme, please visit the WCO website, click here

Key themes

The PICARD Conference 2012 will focus on the following 3 specific topics:

1) Emerging and evolving risks on Customs administration

In today’s fast-moving landscape, Governments, including their Customs administrations, are confronted with evolving and emerging threats at the global, regional and national level. It is necessary to identify these threats and develop forward-looking mitigating actions and to build increased resilience and agility into Customs administrations. This topic is aimed at eliciting research on emerging and evolving risks and measures on how Customs administrations can develop the capacity to deal with such risks.

2) The Impact of Regional Economic Integration and Preferential Trade Arrangements on Customs Services

According to the WTO, as of 15 January 2012, some 511 notifications of regional trade agreements have been received by the WTO, and 319 are in force. The WCO also has received a significant number of notifications from its Members regarding preferential trade arrangements. It is critical to assess the impact of regional economic integration and preferential trade arrangements on Customs services.

3) Customs Strategic Human Resource Management

New demands and other drivers such as technology and re-engineering of business processes have resulted in adjustments to Customs operating models and workforce capabilities. There is a need to analyze how Customs services have adjusted or should adjust strategic human resource management through strategies integrating innovative organizational planning and performance management to deal with tomorrow’s social challenges.

Relevant to:

The PICARD Conference 2012 brings together Customs authorities, the academic sector, the broader business community, governmental and trade organizations.

Senior Customs executives responsible for Customs reform and modernization, human resource development, integrity and other policy issues;

Universities and research institutions with an interest in Customs-related research and education;

Trade executives and service providers;

Language:

English, French