On 18 and 19 March 2025, Ricardo Treviño Chapa, Deputy Secretary General of the World Customs Organization (WCO), participated in the First Forum on Countering Illicit Trade held by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris, France.
The Forum aimed to highlight the risks and harmful impacts of illicit trade on modern supply chains and global governance, while emphasizing the value of transparency and cooperation. The event featured welcoming and opening remarks by Fabrizia Lapecorella, OECD Deputy Secretary-General, and Christopher Martin, Chair of the OECD Task Force on Countering Illicit Trade (TF-CIT).
In his keynote address, Deputy Secretary General Treviño Chapa applauded the initiative taken by the OECD in organizing the Forum, recalling that “the underground economy of illicit trade remains a significant and persistent challenge, undermining legitimate markets, eroding public trust in national institutions and financing criminal enterprises”. He went on to emphasize the WCO's efforts to combat illicit trade by enhancing supply chain security, fighting money laundering, and addressing environmental, counterfeiting and security challenges. He further highlighted the WCO’s crucial role in conducting joint international Customs enforcement operations to strengthen Customs administrations’ capacity in the fight against illicit trade and to enhance cooperation between Customs and stakeholders.
Additionally, the WCO Deputy Secretary General participated in the inaugural panel discussion on “Illicit Trade in a Fragmented World” during which he underscored the challenges faced by Customs administrations in border regions experiencing fragility and post-conflict situations. He identified the critical deficiencies in international trade governance that allow illicit actors to flourish, and the adjustments needed to enhance Customs enforcement and step up the response to these threats.
On the sidelines of the OECD event, Deputy Secretary General Treviño Chapa met with OECD Deputy Secretaries-General Fabrizia Lapecorella and Mary Beth Goodman, as well as with Marion Jansen, Director of the OECD Trade and Agriculture Directorate. These meetings provided an opportunity for the WCO Deputy Secretary General to discuss ways of evaluating current joint initiatives and address subjects of mutual interest.
Recognition of the shared interests between the WCO and OECD through cooperative activities dates back to 2016, when a first Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by both entities. In October 2023, following an increase in areas of cooperation, these arrangements were reviewed and updated through the signature of a second MoU. These MoUs seek to improve understanding of the economic and social impacts of illicit trade and public revenues, and to recommend actions that strengthen relevant regulatory and public governance frameworks.