Customs enforcement has developed drastically over the last decades to keep pace with the tremendous increase in international trade and transport and a growing threat of trans-border organized crime. This has led to an increased awareness in Customs administrations that national and international co-operation is essential. Co-operation with other Customs administrations, with legitimate business circles and with other national law enforcement authorities is a prerequisite for proper law enforcement in the field of Customs.

A major part of this co-operation consists of sharing of information. Customs administrations have been a key source of information for many years. More recently, the value of sharing information with business circles and other law enforcement agencies has been recognised while generally available sources of information are better utilised.

Considering that offences against Customs law touch upon the security of the Members and their economic, commercial, fiscal, social, public health and cultural interests and also that action against Customs offences can be rendered more effectively by co-operation and information exchange between Customs administrations, the WCO Council adopted several instruments that help Members to exchange information between them. In combination with instruments produced by other multilateral institutions, they form a solid framework to address this issue.