2012 WCO IT Conference and Exhibition opens in Estonia

Brussels, 6 June 2012

Press Release

The World Customs Organization (WCO) is pleased to announce the successful opening of its 2012 IT Conference and Exhibition in Tallinn, Estonia which will run from 6-8 June 2012 with the theme: " IT Transforms Core Business for Customs and its Stakeholders".

The VIP opening ceremony included a special video welcoming speech by the President of the Republic of Estonia, H.E. Toomas Hendrik Ilves, and addresses by the Secretary General of the WCO, Kunio Mikuriya, and the Director General of the Estonian Tax and Customs Board, Marek Helm, co-hosts of the event.

This 11th WCO IT Conference and Exhibition which dates back to 2002 is the most important IT event on the international Customs calendar, allowing senior Customs executives from over 100 countries to meet with top trade representatives and solution providers in order to consider today’s business challenges as well as modern IT developments.

Gathering over 500 delegates together, the 2012 Conference will focus on “the Customs administration of the future” and includes a wide range of leading speakers from the Government and private sectors who will expand on the main theme of the event.

A dynamic IT exhibition complements the Conference, enabling various global systems aimed at maximum effectiveness and efficiency in modern Customs innovation to be displayed and demonstrated to participants.

Urmas Paet, the Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs, will address participants on the final day of the Conference.