At the invitation of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union (DG TAXUD), WCO Secretary General Dr. Kunio Mikuriya met Mr. Paolo Gentiloni, European Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs on 20 February 2020 in Brussels, Belgium.

Dr. Mikuriya outlined the WCO’s strategic priorities, focusing on areas of common interest for both the EU and the WCO. He highlighted the critical importance of Customs as a major player in the global supply chain and stressed the need to secure the highest degree of political support to advance the future of Customs.

Secretary General Mikuriya and Commissioner Gentiloni further discussed key WCO instruments, such as the Revised Kyoto Convention and the E-Commerce Package, as well as the implementation aspects of various WCO tools. They both agreed on the importance of international cooperation, and on the key role played by the EU in international forums as well as by its Member states in informed debates.

Commissioner Gentiloni reaffirmed the EU’s strong support for the WCO’s activities as well as its commitment to the integration of developing countries in international trade.

Secretary General Mikuriya and Commissioner Gentiloni agreed to continue strengthening the ties between the two Organizations in order to move forward with the agenda of the international Customs community.