On 7 September this high-level Customs-Business conference, organized by EuroCommerce and a number of its partners, was held at WCO Headquarters.

WCO Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya gave a welcome address, emphasizing the key role that Customs could play in enhancing economic competitiveness.

This was followed by a keynote speech by Pierre Moscovici, the European Union Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs.

The conference was attended by a large number of leading company representatives, industry experts and top regulators and was intended to challenge attitudes on the role Customs plays as an economic driver, both in Europe and on the global market.

In particular, participants sought to identify the areas that hold Customs policy and procedures back from playing a more central and positive role in trade facilitation, without undermining the controls necessary for safety, security and equal treatment.

The conference focused - through panel discussions - on two key issues : "A vision of Customs as a competitive element of trade facilitation"; and "Achieving the vision through lessons learnt".

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Photos:

1. From right to left: EU Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs Pierre Moscovici, EuroCommerce Director General Christian Verschueren, and WCO Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya;

2. EU Commissioner Moscovici during his keynote speech.