On 6 March 2018, the WCO Secretary General, Dr. Kunio Mikuriya, and the Chairman of the Organisation for Co-operation between Railways (OSJD) Committee, Mr. Tadeusz Szozda, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance the cooperation between the two organizations. This is the second formal arrangement on cooperation between the WCO and an international railway organization, after the signing of an MoU with the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail (OTIF) in July 2017.

The accelerated development of railway transport corridors between Europe and Asia and the challenges concerning harmonization of transport documents, technical standards, electronic data exchange and simplification of Customs procedures require stronger cooperation between Customs and railways. Both Customs administrations and railways organizations understand the need for heightened collaboration in the light of the ever-increasing share of transcontinental transit via railways. The spheres for more intensive cooperation encompass the removal of obstacles to the crossing of frontiers in international rail traffic, better information exchange, simplification of formalities, enhancement of security and further work on the acceptance of transport documents as the Goods declaration for Customs transit.

Through the signature of the MoU, the WCO and the OSJD have committed to mutually support each other with the development of standards and capacity building.