Latest articles

WCO Council Sessions open with Customs’ role in protecting society high on the agenda

• Annual WCO Council Sessions bring together 187 Heads of Customs to set the global Customs agenda for the year ahead.
• 147^th/148^th Sessions led by the Council Chairperson, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, and the WCO Secretary General, Ian Saunders.
• Special addresses by the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) President and the INTERPOL Secretary General reaffirm the need for global cooperation in the fight against illicit trade. 

The Council Sessions commenced with keynote speeches that highlighted Customs as a cornerstone of societal protection and affirmed that collective action among international organizations and Customs administrations is essential to making the world safer and global trade systems more secure and resilient. The Council Sessions were preceded earlier in the week by the 94^th Session of the Policy Commission and a joint Dialogue session with the WCO Private Sector Consultative Group.

WCO delivering for Customs 

“While the specific conditions and challenges may be different for each WCO Member, the expectations placed on every Customs administration are the same. The state demands security and proper revenue collection. The trade community and the public demand efficiency and safety. Meeting these uncompromising demands […] can be daunting, but Customs succeeds every day. This is part of why the trading system works. Something that enables Customs to do this, and the reason why we gather in this chamber every year, is the fact that none of us has to do this work alone”, said WCO Secretary General Ian Saunders while formally opening the meeting, which takes place over the next three days. This is a theme that ran through all the opening remarks – the importance of working together to manage stakeholders’ expectations and ensure a collective approach and greater impact in addressing the threats facing society. 

The Chairperson of the WCO Council, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, highlighted the role and importance of the WCO and of the Council Sessions, making an analogy between the 2026 FIFA World Cup and Customs. He said: “There is something in this year's tournament that speaks directly to our work. For the first time, the World Cup is being staged in 16 cities across three sovereign territories. None of this works unless players, officials, equipment and hundreds of thousands of supporters cross those borders quickly and securely. Speed without control will result in chaos. Control without speed will lead to gridlock. So, the whole spectacle of the World Cup rests on creating both these conditions at once, which is precisely the balance every Customs administration in this room is asked to strike whenever we operate at our borders and airports. And the wider the field grows, the more that balance depends on cooperation and collaboration.”

Heads of Customs were then presented with an update on the key developments across the WCO’s work, including activities undertaken by the Secretariat to implement the Strategic Plan during 2025/2026. In his Report to the Council, the Secretary General highlighted some of the WCO’s work that has made a real difference to the global Customs community over the past year, such as the release of the Harmonized System 2028 Amendments and related tools, the update of the Time Release Study Guide, the launch of an ATA Carnet digital ecosystem, and the results of several international enforcement operations, such as Thunder and Global Gateway.

“We've met most of our commitments, brought forward tools and guidance and provided hands-on support in addressing many critical issues. We've maintained a clear sense of direction and accountability, and also set the trajectory for doing the same in the coming year”, the Secretary General concluded. 

Enhancing global impact: peer organizations recognize the value of Customs

As part of the opening day of Council, the President of the INCB, Dr. Sevil Atasoy, and the Secretary General of INTERPOL, Valdecy Urquiza, addressed participants via video messages.

Dr. Sevil Atasoy shared a sobering message about the rapidly changing threat of illegal drugs, one that wreaks havoc on social fabric and health systems worldwide and demands action by Customs services which are on the front line of this problem. She highlighted the critical placement of Customs at the intersection of trade facilitation and law enforcement, the value of its authorities and presence, and its unique tools that enable distinctions to be made between products that do not present a risk and those that can imperil lives and economies.

“Together, through strengthened partnerships between the INCB, the WCO and national authorities, we can enhance our collective capacity to safeguard societies from the harms of illicit drugs and their precursors”, she concluded.

Valdecy Urquiza underscored the strong partnership between the WCO and INTERPOL, and the shared commitment by both Organizations to tackling transnational crime. “In today's complex threat landscape, neither of our Organizations can succeed alone”, he told Heads of Customs, adding that “when Police and Customs work together against crime, we make societies safer.” He explained that the strategic partnership between the WCO and INTERPOL is built on information-sharing, operational coordination and trust stemming from a Memorandum of Understanding signed almost 30 years ago.

He continued by pointing to the invaluable cooperation between the WCO and INTERPOL in conducting joint operations – together yielding significant results – using the example of Operation Thunder which led to the seizure of nearly 30,000 endangered animals and the identification of over 1,100 suspects during a 30-day period.

These high-level messages resonated with the Customs community which works hand in hand with other international organizations such as the INCB and INTERPOL, as well as with national law enforcement partners, on a daily basis to keep society safe and secure from the ever-evolving threats posed by cross-border crime.

Next steps

During the three-day Council Sessions, WCO Members will discuss and approve a wide range of standards and guidance materials dealing with commercial fraud, illicit trade, digitalization, performance measurement, and the use of technology, and will chart the way forward for the Organization. The Council Sessions will conclude with a vote on the winner of the annual WCO Photo Competition in which Customs administrations submit a photo depicting Customs in action, with a focus on this year’s theme of protecting society through vigilance and commitment.

(Source: https://www.wcoomd.org/en/media/newsroom/2026/june/wco-council-sessions-open-with-customs-role-in-protecting-society-high-on-the-agenda.aspx)