Visit to German Customs and the Regional Intelligence Liaison Office in Cologne
14 April 2010
Report
At the invitation of Mr. H.-J. Stähr, the Director General of German Customs, WCO Secretary General, Kunio Mikuriya, visited Customs headquarters in Bonn and RILO Western Europe’s offices in Cologne on 14 April 2010.
During the bilateral meeting, Director General Stähr appreciated the greater transparency in the management of the WCO and reiterated German support for WCO activities, including the hosting of the RILO in Cologne. Secretary General Mikuriya expressed his appreciation to Germany for its financial support for the CEN, which provides a short-term platform for Globally Networked Customs. They also discussed a range of issues, including Customs in the 21st Century, enhanced functioning of the RILO, and Germany’s contribution to capacity building.
Secretary General Mikuriya subsequently visited the RILO offices in Cologne to discuss ways to enhance its activities, following the conclusion reached during the WCO European Regional Conference in Ohrid in The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, which recognized the important role played by the three RILOs in the European region.