2. Institutional Structure

Member States usually appoint Customs high-level authorities.

All information related to this internal body can be found on the Organization’s official website, under the Terms of Reference of the Policy Commission available at http://​www.​wcoomd.​org/​-/​media/​wco/​public/​global/​pdf/​about-us/​wco-working-bodies/​terms-of-reference-of-wco-working-bodies-august-2019.​pdf?​db=​web. Accessed May 10, 2021.

The December session is usually held out of Brussels; for example, the 72nd Session was held in Recife, Brazil, on December 8 to 10, 2014; the 74th Session was held in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, on December 7 to 9, 2015; the 80th Session was held in Bombay, India, on December 3 to 5, 2018; and the 82nd Session was held in Seoul, Republic of Korea, on December 3 to 5, 2019.

The PSCG Terms of reference PSCG are available at: http://​www.​wcoomd.​org/​en/​topics/​key-issues/​private-sector-consultative-group/​terms-of-reference-for-the-private-sector-consultative-group.​aspx. Accessed May 10, 2021.

The latest amendment to the Terms of Reference was made in 2017 (Annex VII of the January 2018 Report of the Policy Commission).

Current Members (2020): American Association of Exporters and Importers (AAEI), Association of Professional Customs Brokers of the Americas (ASAPRA), Baker Hughes Business Alliance for Secure Commerce (BASC), Expeditors, Federation of National Associations of Ship Brokers and Agents (FONASBA), Fonterra, Global Express Association (GEA), GS1 Huawei, International Air Transport Association (IATA), IBM, Indelox International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), International Federation of Customs Brokers Associations (IFCBA), International Federation of Freight Forwarders, Associations (FIATA), International Road Transport Union (IRU), International Trademark Association (INTA), Limited Brands, Michelin, Microsoft, Opora, Pharmaceutical Security Institute (PSI), Procomex, Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi, South African Association of Freight Forwarders (SAA- FF) y Saudi Basic Industries Corporation. Source: http://​www.​wcoomd.​org/​en/​to-pics/​key-issues/​private-sector-consultative-group/​membership.​aspx. Accessed May 10, 2021.

The Terms of Reference, with its 2017 amendment (Annex VII of the January 2018 Policy Commission Report) provides for up to 27 members.

Although there are large multinational businesses whose annual turnover exceeds the gross domestic product of several WCO Member States, it must be highlighted that WCO is an intergovernmental organization that works for the general interests of society and not for private interests, regardless of the size of the businesses or their commercial flow influence.

History of the Integrity Sub-Committee: http://​www.​wcoomd.​org/​en/​topics/​integrity/​overview.​aspx. Accessed May 10, 2021.

Revised Arusha Declaration: http://​www.​wcoomd.​org/​-/​media/​wco/​public/​global/​pdf/​about-us/​legal-instruments/​declarations/​revised_​arusha_​declaration_​en.​pdf?​la=​en. Accessed May 10, 2021.

Maputo Declaration: http://www.wcoomd.org/-/media/wco/public/global/pdf/about-us/legal-instruments/declarations/maputo_declaration_en.pdf?la=en. Accessed May 10, 2021.

Almaty Integrity Resolution: http://www.wcoomd.org/-/media/wco/public/global/pdf/topics/integrity/instruments-and-tools/almaty_resolution.pdf?la=en. Accessed May 10, 2021.

Almaty Integrity Resolution: http://www.wcoomd.org/-/media/wco/public/global/pdf/topics/integrity/instruments-and-tools/almaty_resolution.pdf?la=e. Accessed May 10, 2021.

Transparency and Predictability Guidelines: http://​www.​wcoomd.​org/​-/​media/​wco/​pu-blic/​es/​pdf/​topics/​facilitation/​instruments-and-tools/​tools/​transparency-and-predictability-guidelines/​tp-guide-updated-sp-rev.​pdf?​la=​en. Accessed May 10, 2021.

Convention Establishing a Customs Cooperation Council: http://​www.​wcoomd.​org/​-/​media/​wco/​public/​global/​pdf/​about-us/​legal-instruments/​conventions-and-agreements/​ccc/​convccc.​pdf?​la=​en. Accessed May 10, 2021.

WTO, Agreement on Rules of Origin: https://​www.​wto.​org/​english/​docs_​e/​legal_​e/​22-roo_​e.​htm. Accessed May 10, 2021.

The information included in this paragraph has been extracted from the “Terms of Reference of the Technical Committee on Rules of Origin: http://www.wcoomd.org/en/about-us/wco-working-bodies/tarif_and_trade/technical_committee_on_rules_of_origin.aspx.

World Customs Organization, Capacity Building Committee: http://​www.​wcoomd.​org/​en/​about-us/​wco-structure/​wco-working-bodies.​aspx. Accessed May 10, 2021.

World Customs Organization, Terms of Reference of the Harmonized System Committee: http://​www.​wcoomd.​org/​-/​media/​wco/​public/​global/​pdf/​about-us/​wco-wor-king-bodies/​ter-ms-of-reference-of-wco-working-bodies-august-2019.​pdf?​db=​web. Accessed May 10, 2021.

The first session was held at the then Customs Cooperation Council Headquarters with the participation of 140 delegates and observers of 64 States and Customs territories, and 8 international organizations.

Meetings are usually held at the WCO Headquarters, and the Committee may invite such intergovernmental or other international organizations as it may consider appropriate.

In the official WCO documents, there is no authorized translation into Spanish for “ENFORCEMENT COMMITTEE” (English) and “COMITÉ DE LA LUTTE CONTRE LA FRAUDE” (French). As there is no single word in Spanish that actually means “enforcement,” the Spanish version of this book has adopted the French translation into Spanish, i.e., “COMMITTEE OF FIGHT AGAINST FRAUD.”

The Enforcement Committee was created by a decision adopted by the Council in 1983, whereby the Enforcement Working Group was turned into a committee. Before this change in category, the Group had held 12 sessions, from April 1974 to January 1983.

World Customs Organization, Terms of Reference of the Technical Committee on Customs Valuation: http://www.wcoomd.org/en/about-us/wco-working-bodies/tarif_and_trade/technical_committee_on_customs_valuation.aspx. Accessed May 10, 2021.

During the 133th/134th Council Sessions, which took place in Brussels in June 2019, the Secretary-General reported that the number of Secretariat personnel currently stood at 222, representing 67 nationalities, including 49 technical officers; 40 technical attachés, who had generously been seconded by members at their own expense; and ten professional associates, who had been given the opportunity to obtain international working experience at the WCO, thanks to the funding from Japan under the Career Development Programme: https://​www.​ifcba.​org/​sites/​default/​files/​ctd_​files/​sc0186e%20​-%20​Draft%20​Minutes%20​of%20​the%20​133-134%20​Sessions%20​of%20​the%20​Customs%20​Co-Ope- ration%20​Council_​0.​pdf. Accessed May 10, 2021.

Having an official working language means that there is simultaneous interpretation at the expense of the interested countries.

In June 2019 there were 46 Brussel-based Technical Attachés: Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, China, Democratic Republic of Congo, Dominican Republic, France, Germany, Ghana, Hong Kong China, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Russian Federation, South Africa, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States of America, among others.

The 14th edition of the WCO PICARD Conference was held on October 22 to 24, 2019, in Skopje, North Macedonia. Out of more than 80 proposals, 40 presentations were made by representatives of academia, governments, and the private sector.

Take note that the first three Secretaries-General belonged to the European aristocracy and held noble titles (baron, sir, and chevalier).

After his appointment as Secretary-General of the International Standard Organization (ISO), Sergio Mujica Montes ceased his function as WCO Deputy Secretary-General on July 18th, 2017.

The geographical distribution: http://www.wcoomd.org/-/media/wco/public/global/pdf/media/annual-reports/annual_report_2019_2020_en.pdf. Accessed May 10, 2021.