On 28 November 2019, the WCO hosted a delegation from the Centre for Global Governance Studies of the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven), a renowned academic institution in Belgium. This event followed-up cooperation between the WCO and KU Leuven since the 2018 PICARD Conference.

In his remarks, Mr. Ricardo Treviño Chapa, the Deputy Secretary General of the WCO, welcomed the academic delegation, and introduced the history of the WCO including its current vision, mission, and working mechanisms. This introduction aroused much interest in Customs matters, leading to extensive discussions between KU Leuven delegates and the Deputy Secretary General on questions relating to Customs’ role in international trade, the WCO’s perspective on global governance, and the administration of intergovernmental organizations.

Other WCO experts shared their understanding and experiences with KU Leuven delegates on how international law works in the WCO. In particular, the experts expatiated on the WCO’s work relating to the Revised Kyoto Convention and the HS Convention, as well as the implementation of certain UN conventions and UN Security Council resolutions on environment protection and anti-terrorism, among others.

Through this event, the KU Leuven delegation recognized that the WCO, as a rule-based international organization, played a significant role in treaty-making, the implementation of international law, and the interpretation of international norms.

“We are pleased that the partnership between the WCO and KU Leuven, a remarkable representative of the academic community, has been further consolidated,” said the Deputy Secretary General of the WCO. “Indeed, we look forward to deeper cooperation with academia, having already recognized research as an important part of our efforts within the scope of the WCO Strategic Plan 2019-2022.”