Schedule of Prime Texts, Tools and Instruments

29 August 2013
ODP - Organizational Development Package

Strategic Advisory Support & Delivery

Instrument/

Tool

Description & Availability

Use & Status

WCO Capacity Building Strategy

This Strategy was adopted by the Council in June 2003.  In addition to guiding the capacity building work of the WCO, the strategy also reflects on the enablers for successful capacity building, lessons learned and other critical issues.

Ongoing.

WCO Capacity Building Delivery Programme

The WCO Capacity Building delivery is based on ownership and results-based management. These principles are reflected in the 3 phases of WCO Capacity Building support that consist of:

  • Diagnostic phase
  • Strategic Planning and Implementation Phase
  • Monitoring and Evaluation Phase

Ongoing delivery.

WCO Capacity Building needs assessment process

The WCO Secretariat has developed the infrastructure and standard operating procedures for processing requests for assistance, funding, accrediting and allocating experts, as well as ensuring the delivery of assistance.

To manage on-going capacity building requests, the WCO deals with requirements in a corporate way, involving all Directorates and donors/development partners on the basis of systematic and transparent procedures.  As a result, the WCO Secretariat draws up a CB delivery plan for every financial year.

Ongoing delivery.

WCO Experts’ Requirement Matrix

Based on the annual CB needs assessment process, the WCO Secretariat identifies the needs for support by accredited experts from Member administrations. To allow for early planning, the WCO Secretariat sends out the “Experts Requirement Matrix” providing an overview of missions in need, for which Members can indicate their interest to support.

Regularly updated and sent to Member administrations.

Capacity Builders’ Newsletter

The Capacity Builders’ Newsletter is a regular short update for accredited WCO experts, written in the form of articles that contain information on latest CB-related events and meeting, examples of experts’ experiences during missions and hints towards future events. It is published 3-4 times a year.

Newsletters can be accessed

So far 5 issues of the Capacity Builders’ Newsletter have been published. 

Guidelines for WCO Experts

The Capacity Building Directorate has developed guidelines for external WCO experts. These guidelines provide general information about what kind of assistance the expert can obtain from the WCO when preparing for a mission, during the implementation of the mission, and during the post-mission phase.

    Ongoing use for delivery of CB missions.

    Diagnostic Framework

    The DF is an important contribution to improving the design, implementation and evaluation of capacity building projects.  Its ultimate goal is the enhancement of the performance of Customs administrations around the world. It forms the basis for the complete diagnostic phase mentioned above, looking at the “A to Z” of modern Customs, and supports any monitoring and evaluation phase, too. It is also structured in a way that Customs Management can use it on national level as a self-management/modernization tool for the entire administration or specific parts of the administration.

    It can be purchased at:

    Through the CBC, the DF is reviewed on regular basis, and any updates, as applicable, are approved through the CBC.

    The most recent update, to be presented at CBC IV, includes an update on AEO developments.

    Capacity Building Development Compendium

    The WCO Capacity Building Development Compendium has been developed as a guide to the Key Management techniques needed to enable Members to take full control of their own organizational development. It is used as a reference for reform & modernization planning and implementation, as well as by facilitators conducting Capacity Building/support missions.

    Like the DF, the compendium is reviewed on regular basis and updates have to be approved through the CBC.

     

    The following topics are offered in the compendium:

    • Strategic Management
    • Change Management
    • Project Management
    • Benchmarking
    • Tendering and contracting process
    • Technology acquisition process
    • Customs Enterprise Architecture
    • Human Resource Management & Leadership
    • Donor Engagement
    • Supply chain management
    • Organization Performance Measurement

    This publication is available from the WCO bookshop:

    The compendium is a continuously developing document with additional chapters added at regular intervals to reflect the ever changing nature of reform and modernization.

    The most recent updates, to be presented at CBC IV, include updates on the HR and donor engagement chapters.

    One possible future amendment, pending respective experience, is related to Performance Measurement work, together with development partners, such as the World Bank and the IADB.

    Model for Capacity Building Support Agreements

    The WCO has prepared an example or ‘template’ MOU for use in negotiating and drafting Capacity Building support agreements. The model is related to a Tripartite Agreement between two Administrations and the WCO, but is easily adaptable also to purely bilateral agreements, South-South arrangements or other forms of Capacity Building cooperation.

    “Tripartite Agreements” is an example of such support agreements and are between the WCO Secretariat and two participating Customs administrations. The arrangement is a partnership whereby the commitment of the beneficiary Member to modernize is matched by the obligation to long-term support by the sponsor Member and WCO.

    The scope of these agreements is informed by the specific capacity building aims agreed to by the participants.

    Ongoing delivery for the duration of the agreement.

    WCO Capacity Building Progress Report

    This report is published twice a year.  In addition to providing an update on capacity building activities in Members and showing the results of such efforts, it also contains case studies and other useful information.

    Ongoing.

    Regional Offices for Capacity Building (ROCB) and Regional Training Centres (RTCs)

    The WCO has developed a Regional Capacity Building Strategy , where you can also find detailed information about the 6 Regional Offices for Capacity Building (ROCB) and the current 23 Regional Training Centres (RTC):

    Currently 3 ROCB (Asia/Pacific, Americas and Caribbean and Europe) have regional websites, too:

    www.wcoasiapacific.org 

    www.wcoamericaribe.org

    www.rocb-europe.org

    Once a year, the WCO invites the Regional Vice Chairs, the ROCBs and the RTCs to their annual meeting in Brussels.

    Upon decision by the individual WCO regions, there might also be ROCB/RTC meetings on regional level.

     

    The Regional Capacity Building Strategy promotes sharing ideas and activities on regional and/or sub-regional level, in order to achieve the same regional objectives, including economic growth and social development. It ensures efficient and effective allocation of resources and support via the Regional Vice Chairs, the ROCBs and the RTCs to respond best to regional and national Capacity Building needs. ROCBs support Members mainly in their Capacity Building needs assessment process and help coordinate Capacity Building activities within the respective WCO region. RTCs, together with ROCBs, are best placed to identify and respond to Members’ training needs and can offer training broader in scope than national possibilities allow.

     

    top

    Human Resource Development

    Instrument/

    Tool

    Description & Availability

    Use & Status

    Leadership and Management Development Programme

    The overall objectives of the Leadership and Management Development programme are to:

    • Contribute to creating self-sufficient organizations that can manage their reform and modernization
    • Develop leaders who can set a vision for the future and guide organizations through its implementation;
    • Develop managers who understand the Customs environment, its challenges and emerging trends, and can identify and implement solutions;
    • Develop the skills and behaviours of managers aligned with modern management practices;
    • Develop managers who take responsibility and are accountable for results and for the people; and
    • Provide opportunities for managers to build networks and relationships internally and with stakeholders.

     

     

    Programme components:

    Leadership and Management Development Workshop

    10-day workshop for senior and promising middle managers that aims at equipping participants with improved management skills and a greater capacity to develop their leadership qualities. The workshop is made up of 12 modules:

    Members interested in hosting an LMD workshop may request it. Once a funding source and facilitators have been secured, preparations may be undertaken.

     

    Module 1 –       Introduction

    Module 2 –       Modern Customs for the 21st Century

    Module 3 –       Strategic Management and PICARD standards

    Module 4 –       Self-evaluation and personal skills development

    Module 5 –       Leadership

    Module 6 –       Visioning

    Module 7 –       Situational Leadership and Management styles

    Module 8 –       People management

    Module 8A –    Gender Equity and Diversity

    Module 9 –       Promoting integrity in the workplace

    Module 10 –    Negotiation skills

    Module 11 –    Communication

    Module 12 –    Change management

     

     

    Top Executive Dialogue

    This 3-day event can be organized at a national or sub-regional level. It brings together the top executives of Customs administrations to discuss high-level strategic issues of interest. It offers an opportunity to participants to exchange and to identify a way forward in meeting the challenges of managing a Customs administration.

     

     

    Future components

    • Complementary support in the area of management development: advice to overcome specific management-related challenges
    • Support/advice to establish an in-house LMD programme to ensure greater sufficiency and sustainability
    • Develop pre-learning material

     

    Fellowship Programme

    Fellowship Programme

    A 6-week programme includes:

    • A 2-week Leadership and Management Development Workshop at the WCO Secretariat.
    • A 2-week period at the WCO Secretariat during which participants research a specific topic of interest with the assistance of a tutor with the aim to develop a business case/project proposal for change in the administration.
    • The programme is completed with a 2-week in-country visit in a WCO Member country to explore the research topic in practice.

    The Fellowship Programme is organized three times a year (English, French, and Spanish). All members are invited to nominate participants, and those that best meet the selection criteria are invited to take part in the programme.

    Scholarship Programme

    The Programme provides Customs officials from developing countries with an opportunity to pursue Master’s level studies and training in Customs related fields at the selected Japanese universities.  Currently the following two English courses are available:

    The WCO circulates the letter to encourage the nominations for this Programme every year.

    Career Development Programme

    The Programme provides Customs officials from developing countries with an opportunity to gain working experiences at the WCO Secretariat as a Professional Associate for ten months.

    The Programme is expected to promote the involvement of WCO Members where neither of the two official WCO languages (English and French) is widely spoken and to develop and enhance networks among WCO Members and the Secretariat.  The Professional Associates will serve to support the Secretariat in its missions and tasks and to enhance research function of the WCO. 

    Candidates are selected based on two criteria; by language and by topic.

    The WCO circulates the letter to encourage the nominations for this Programme every year.

    E-Learning & CLiKC!

    The WCO CLiKC! Customs Learning & Knowledge Community provides for various functions:

    • Free access to the WCO e-learning courses
    • Free access to WCO training kits
    • Free access to Members’ Portfolios
    • Closed user groups/experts communities and fora to develop and share training material etc.
    • Pre- and after-work of CB delivery / follow/up to workshops
    • Technical possibilities to upload videos and organize “virtual meetings”

    Currently, the WCO E-learning modules include a total of more than 250 hours of personal training more than 2,500 pages of contents in the following areas:

    • TIR System
    • Intellectual Property Rights
    • WCO SAFE Framework of Standards
    • Integrity
    • Transfer Pricing
    • Rules of Origin
    • CITES
    • The Harmonized System
    • Customs Controls
    • The Montreal Protocol
    • Customs Valuation Case Studies
    • Customs Valuation
    • Data Harmonization
    • Introduction to the WCO Data Model
    • Istanbul Convention

    CLiKC platform:

    Contact: learning@wcoomd.org

    Further modernization of the platform as well as, development updates of e-learning modules are foreseen, including developing modules on the Data Model, Revised Arusha Declaration and on Post Clearance Audit.

    Free online access for all Member Customs officers is granted after the approval by the national coordinator who must be officially known to the WCO Secretariat.

    Based on a license agreement with the WCO, it is also possible to import, customize, complete and translate for free the WCO e-learning courses and tools on national Customs servers of Member countries.

    Currently more than 6,700 users worldwide are registered on CLiKC!. On average, the number of daily unique logins is +/- 200, monthly new registrations are around 200.

    Strategic HR management, incl. Customs Career Path development

    Customs Career Path development/framework: Under development.

    It will start with information on:

    • Job profiles; and
    • Recruitment.

    Link to chapter of CB Development Compendium to be added here, once it is updated.

    This work on updating the respective existing chapter of the WCO Capacity Building Development Compendium will be presented to CBC IV in February 2013.

    Guidelines and CLiKC! platform on National Training Centres

    Closely linked to strategic HR management is the question of providing adequate training for Customs officers to adequately prepare them for their duties and tasks.

     

    The WCO has established a platform on CLiKC! where national training curricula can be shared and national contact points are indicated for further questions and exchanges.

    In addition, a chapter in the CB Development Compendium addresses further questions and guidelines around the establishment of a National Training Centre, and training policies.

    Link to chapter of CB Development Compendium to be added here, once it is updated.

    Members are continuously invited to share their training curricula on CLiKC!

    The chapter of the WCO Capacity Building Development Compendium on Training will be presented to CBC IV.

    PICARD Professional Standards

    The PICARD Professional Standards were developed under the WCO PICARD Programme as a means to establish criteria for Customs professional education related to Bachelor and Master level.

    Universities who offer respective Bachelor and/or Master study programmes can apply for WCO recognition of these programmes as applying these internationally recognized professional standards.

    In addition, the PICARD Professional Standards can also be used by Customs administrations when defining job profiles that require respective knowledge and education.

    Link to Professional Standards on WCO website:

    The PICARD Professional Standards can be reviewed as needed, and updates have to be approved through the CBC.

     

    On the PICARD Programme, please also see below under 4. Stakeholder Engagement

     

    top

     

    Integrity

     

    Instrument/

    Tool

     

     

     

     

    Description & Availability

     

     

     

     

    Use & Status

     

     

     

     

    Revised Arusha Declaration

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    The Revised Arusha Declaration is a non-binding WCO instrument that is used as a guideline for Customs administrations to define their own integrity strategy.

    It contains 10 elements a Customs administration needs to take into account when committing to enhance integrity. The ten elements are as follows :

     

    • Leadership and Commitment
    • Regulatory Framework
    • Transparency
    • Automation
    • Reform and Modernization
    • Audit and investigation
    • Code of Conduct
    • Human Resource Management
    • Morale and Organizational culture
    • Relationship with the private sector

    click here

     

     

     

     

    Ongoing delivery of integrity-related support missions, based on the contents of the declaration.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Integrity Development Guide (IDG)

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    The IDG is used to carry out integrity self-assessment workshops.  It is built around the Revised Arusha Declaration.  It develops each item of the Revised Arusha Declaration and contains after each item, a checklist that is used to carry out a gap analysis and identify potential solutions.  This exercise is done with or without the assistance of the WCO.  As a result, often an integrity action plan is produced.

    click here

     

     

     

     

    The IDG is being revised by a Working Group of voluntary Member administrations in co-operation with the WCO Secretariat, and a first draft of the updated version will be presented at the Integrity Sub-Committee in February 2013.

     

     

     

     

    Model Code of Ethics and Conduct

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    This document is a model that is made available to WCO Members which have not yet developed their own code of conduct or need to amend theirs.  It is meant to be used as a model and adapted to the environment of individual administrations

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    The Model Code was revised in 2011 and contains annexes that can be complemented as time goes by without changing the body of the document. 

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Integrity Newsletter

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    The Integrity Newsletter contains articles with Members’ best practices in the integrity area as well as an update of integrity related activities carried out by the WCO in-between sessions of the Integrity Sub-Committee.  It is published 3-4 times a year. 

    Newsletters

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    So far 7 issues of the Integrity Newsletter have been published.  It is expected to consolidate them and publish a  booklet that would be a new version of the Compendium of Best practices

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Integrity Development Workshops

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    The WCO upon the request of Members organizes integrity development workshops that contain a theoretical part as well as practical exercises, such as the analysis of case studies.  A self-assessment is usually carried out and a national integrity action plan is produced at the end of the workshop.  This action plan often leads to the identification of integrity pilot projects.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Integrity pilot projects

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Integrity pilot projects can stem from an integrity action plan, or be decided on the initiative of a Member administration.  They can be simple and carried out on the short term or they develop over the long run, depending on its nature.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    top

    Stakeholder Engagement

    Instrument/

    Tool

     

    Description & Availability

     

    Use & Status

     

    WCO Regional Donor meetings and conferences

     

    As part of the WCO’s attempts to reach out and co-operate and co-ordinate efforts with Members, other international organizations and development partners, it has developed an approach to organize (sub-)regional donor conferences. Such events have to date been held in three of the six WCO Regions.

    Chapter 10 “Donor Engagement” in the Capacity Building Development Compendium can be downloaded for free from the WCO Bookshop.

     

    The revised chapter of the WCO Capacity Building Development Compendium on this topic will be presented to CBC IV.

    The remaining 3 WCO regions are also planning regional donor events.

     

    WCO Project Map Database

     

    The WCO Project Map Database (PMD) is a web tool that allows Members and donors/development partners to access information on Capacity Building projects and activities. It aims to facilitate effective coordination, avoid duplication of efforts and matchmaking between partners.  As it provides for the storage of project information, successful business proposals etc, the PMD will over time also develop as a knowledge depository for Members who are searching for support in similar situations.

     

    The CBC decided during its 3rd Session in February 2012 that the PMD should be rolled-out globally.  National contact points are responsible for information input, in close co-operation with the ROCB.

    Development partners are also invited to nominate contact points for input of information.

    Pending further external funding, the PMD will constantly be improved.

     

    National/(sub-) regional support on resource mobilization

     

    The WCO upon the request of Members organizes regional and/or national resource mobilization workshops that enable Members to enhance co-operation with development partners and to understand and apply project and results-based management.  It also includes support to prepare business cases/project proposals.

    Training material developed in one of the WCO mid-term Capacity Building projects has been added to Chapter 10 of the WCO Capacity Building Compendium.

     

    The revised chapter of the WCO Capacity Building Development Compendium will be presented to CBC IV.

     

    Orientation Package 

    The aim of the Package is to assist administrations to secure support for reform and modernization. It does this by providing information with a clear picture of the modern Customs function, the vital part it can play in achieving national objectives and the necessity of investing in Customs. It also contains advice on how to use this information. This information can be used in a variety of ways, including the preparation of business cases or presentations by Customs leaders. PSCG Annex 

     

    Since its approval by Council in 2012, the Orientation Package has been used in various CB missions and meetings with DGs.

    Members and other stakeholders are invited to report on their use of the Orientation Package.

     

     

     

    To this end, the Package is structured as follows :

     

    • Introduction
    • Main targets and objectives of Governments
    • Role of Customs and its environment
    • Reform and modernization of Customs
    • Role of the WCO
    • Conclusion

    Annexes :

    (a)       Environmental scan

    (b)       Customs in the 21st Century

    (c)       Summary of WCO instruments, tools and programmes

    (d)       Examples of business cases for Customs reform and modernization (note: Chapter X of the Capacity Building Development Compendium on Donor Engagement).

     

     

     

    Capacity Building e‑brochures

     

    Several e-brochures are available that cover the work of the WCO relating to:

     

    • E-learning
    • Integrity
    • Leadership and management development
    • Project Map Database
    • CliKC!
    • PICARD Programme
    • ROCB
    • RTC

     

     

     

    PICARD Programme

     

    The WCO Partnerships in Customs Academic Research and Development (PICARD) Programme was established in 2006 and has been developed in close co-operation with academic partners. 

    It provides for a cooperation framework with academia (and other stakeholders) for Customs Education and Research, and thus aims to increase the professional knowledge and standing of Customs executives and practitioners.

    One of the key achievements of the PICARD Programme has been the establishment of the PICARD Professional Standards.

    The current draft of a PICARD 2020 strategic document provides for an outlook on the development of the PICARD Programme by the year 2020.

     

    The PICARD 2020 strategic document will be presented to CBC IV.

     



    On the PICARD Professional Standards, please see above under 2. Human Resources

     

    top