The IT Guide for Executives provides information on the strategic management process concerning the use of Information & Communication Technologies (ICT) in Customs. The overall idea of the Guide is to assist Customs administrations, in particular at senior-management level, to address IT issues in a holistic manner. The Guide comprises four Chapters dealing with “Strategic Planning & ICT”, “The Strategic Dimensions of ICT”, “ICT Project Management” and “ICT Governance”.
The Guide sets out the vision of Digital Customs, encompassing the Digital Customs Maturity Model and the role of Digital Customs to support the implementation of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA). In order to reflect the importance of and the strong relationship between TFA obligations and TFA measures on the one hand and ICT implementation and ICT-related strategic decisions on the other, a WCO analysis of the potential use of ICT and possible implications for information management with respect to each article of Section I of the TFA is appended as an Annex to the Guide.