International Customs Day (ICD) is being observed on today to recognise the role of custom officials and agencies in maintaining border security.
It focuses on the working conditions and challenges that customs officers face in their jobs.
The World Customs Organization (WCO) has dedicated the year 2014 to promoting communication under the slogan “Communication: sharing information for better cooperation.”
WCO Members will have an opportunity to enhance the communication and information sharing practices and mechanisms that they have implemented, within their administration, with ministries and other government agencies, with the trade community and with the general public.
Custom agencies on the day hold employee appreciation events where custom officers are recognised for their exemplary service.
Workshops, conferences and talks are held focusing on the year’s theme and the challenges that agencies and officers face.
Instituted by the World Customs Organization (WCO), International Customs Day is held on January 26 every year, which commemorates the day in 1953 when the inaugural session of the Customs Cooperation Council (CCC) was held in Brussels, Belgium.
Seventeen European countries attended this session. In 1994 the CCC was renamed World Customs Organization (WCO) and today custom organizations from 179 countries are its members.