The 2024 WCO Europe Region Heads of Customs Conference took place on 29 April 2024, in Brussels, at the WCO headquarters, in a hybrid format. Organized by the Norwegian Customs, the Conference brought together representatives from 49 of the 52 Member States of the WCO European region, the EU, the WCO European Regional Office for Capacity Building (ROCB) and the Regional Intelligence Liaison Offices (RILOs). The main agenda was to discuss critical issues and enhance regional cooperation in Customs operations.
In his welcoming remarks, Mr. Øystein Børmer, Director General of Norwegian Customs and Vice-Chair for the region, highlighted the significant role played by Customs in facilitating legitimate trade, ensuring security, and fostering economic growth. He noted the geopolitical changes since the last conference in 2019 and how Customs had tackled the challenges caused by the pandemic.
WCO Secretary General Ian Saunders, shared his thoughts on the role of the Secretary General and the guiding principles of full commitment and shared responsibility. He emphasized the importance of Members’ contributions in maintaining a robust Organization and encouraged continued active participation in turning innovative ideas into concrete Customs practices.
The Conference extensively covered the WCO’s modernization efforts, as presented by Secretary General Saunders. The modernization plan includes organizational restructuring and a new selection process for directors, aims to enhance operational sustainability and responsiveness. Delegates expressed broad support for the proposals and called for clearer prioritizations.
A panel discussion on strengthening regional cooperation highlighted the benefits of regional cooperation in forging bilateral links, sharing expertise on emerging topics, and building capacity. The panel emphasized the need for improved dialogue with other sub-regions and closer integration of the ROCB’s expertise into the WCO capacity building plan.
Presentations from the RILOs showcased their activities in data collection, information exchange, and capacity building. The ROCB outlined its strategic framework and goals, emphasizing the need for increased regional involvement and funding to support its initiatives.
Delegates discussed the impact of fragile borders on Customs cooperation and shared experiences of adaptive measures in response to conflict. Delegates discussed the broader implications of fragile borders and proposed increased WCO involvement in border security and management programmes.
The Conference reviewed the draft Implementation Plan 2024-2025 of the Strategic Plan 2022-2025, highlighting the importance of continued work on Customs modernization and regional cooperation to meet the evolving challenges faced by Customs administrations.
The distribution of regional seats on the WCO governing bodies for 2024-2025 was also discussed. The Vice-Chair presented an overview of the proposed allocation of regional seats, which was approved with no further comments by the delegates.
WCO Secretary General Saunders and Vice-Chair Børmer concluded the event by expressing their appreciation for the discussions and commitment to the regional work. They highlighted the importance of the upcoming Policy Commission and Council meetings for the WCO modernization work and encouraged ongoing dedication and collaboration.