The World Customs Organization (WCO) celebrated International Customs Day (ICD) on 24 January 2025 in Brussels, Belgium, taking this opportunity to present its theme for the year: “Customs Delivering on its Commitment to Efficiency, Security and Prosperity”.
The WCO Secretary General, Ian Saunders, welcomed guests to WCO Headquarters and highlighted the significance of ICD, noting that since its first plenary session as the Customs Co-operation Council more than 70 years ago, the WCO has served as the premier forum dedicated to advancing Customs matters, providing guidance and supporting Customs administrations in addressing the challenges they face in fulfilling their missions.
Secretary General Saunders explained that this year’s theme is aimed at challenging both the WCO Secretariat and the international Customs community to communicate more effectively to the world about how their individual and collective work make a difference.
“When we tell the world how we are helping deliver greater efficiency, security and prosperity, we create the possibility of greater understanding, greater appreciation and greater investment”, he said. He went on to state that Customs helped sustain and improve the international trading system and support economic vitality around the world, and that Customs’ role in this respect needed to be publicized globally.
As the ICD event was co-organized by the Belgian General Customs and Excise Administration (Belgian Customs), its General Administrator Kristian Vanderwaeren expressed his full support for the WCO’s 2025 theme. He described how technology was increasing the efficiency of Belgian Customs’ work, enabling it to operate more swiftly and accurately. He concluded by describing how national and international collaboration played a key role in ensuring that Customs kept borders secure. Finally, he underscored the importance of Customs’ role in facilitating trade.
Earlier in the day, Secretary General Saunders participated in Belgian Customs’ ICD celebration at the Town Hall of the City of Brussels. This event was attended by Filip Van De Velde, Chairperson of the Belgian Federal Finance Public Service (SPF Finances); Matthias Petschke, Director-General of DG TAXUD; Stephan Legein, Deputy General Administrator of the Belgian General Administration of Customs and Excise; and General Administrator Vanderwaeren.
The celebration included speeches, a medal ceremony for Customs officer honorees, and a military parade on the Grand-Place led by the Belgian Ministry of Finance Band. The festivities ended at the iconic Manneken-Pis statue, appropriately dressed as a Customs officer for the occasion.
This year’s ICD celebration showcased Customs’ role in international trade and its commitment to efficiency, Security and Prosperity, the dedication of its employees, and the importance of increasing visibility and awareness of Customs’ impact. The theme for the year sets a clear course for the Customs community in 2025.