The WCO successfully concludes the Enforcement Maturity Assessment exercise with Pakistan Customs

10 December 2021

In the framework of the WCO-COPES Programme, the WCO developed its Maturity Assessment tool and methodology in the area of Customs Enforcement. The methodology is based on a three-pronged approach and on a partnership approach, whereby the beneficiary Customs Administration is fully engaged throughout the phases of the assessment and validates all findings. The holistic and cross-dimensional approach of the Maturity Assessment covers: compliance management, intelligence, risk management, enforcement operations and investigations (including matters related to evidence collection, chain of custody and other prosecution-related matters).

As a leading agency in the area of the fight against illicit trade, Pakistan Customs has successfully completed the first ever WCO COPES Maturity Institutional Assessment exercise. The outcome of the assessment enabled the WCO and Pakistan Authorities to identify Pakistan Customs’ strengths and areas of improvement in the area of enforcement but also, and most importantly, to develop an actionable and measurable Maturity Growth Plan to address the identified gaps. The findings, recommendations and the Maturity Growth Plan were officially adopted by Pakistan Customs at the occasion of a virtual validation workshop held on the 23rd of November 2021.

The Member Customs Policy of Pakistan, Dr Muhammad Said KHAN JADOON, has expressed its gratitude to the WCO team of experts and to his team for the remarkable work undertaken to complete the assessment. He has, further, indicated that Pakistan Customs is fully committed to the implementation of the formulated recommendations while he also invited the WCO to pursue its support to his administration to facilitate the implementation of the recommendations and Maturity Growth Plan.

Mr. Pranab Kumar DAS, Director of the Compliance and Enforcement Directorate of the WCO, has underlined the relevance of the COPES Assessment Tool based on Maturity Models that allows to indicate past progress and the way forward through tailored recommendations. He also fosters the Members to use this new tool that will be presented for adoption to the next Enforcement Committee.

The whole Maturity Institutional Assessment exercise was financially sponsored by INL (US Department of State) under the WCO-CECAC Project Phase 1. For more information about this assessment and/or the WCO-CECAC Project, please contact: Copes@wcoomd.org.