Customs administrations around the world play an important role in the implementation of a range of critical government policies and contribute to the achievement of several national development objectives. In addition, as Customs is often the first window through which the rest of the world views a country it does much to shape the perceptions of the key individuals and organizations involved in making important trade and foreign investment decisions. As the roles and responsibilities of National Customs administrations changes, there is an increased requirement to develop strategies to suit.

Without an efficient and effective national Customs administration, governments will not be able to meet their policy objectives in respect to revenue collection, trade facilitation, trade statistics, and the protection of society from a range of social and national security concerns. Customs contribution to national development is potentially enormous and can make a significant difference to the lives of many impoverished people throughout the world.

As such, well-designed and targeted capacity building investments focused on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of Customs administrations can deliver significant dividends for governments and donors alike and allow developing countries to take advantage of the many development opportunities provided by the expanding global trading system.

Unfortunately, to date many capacity building initiatives in Customs have failed to meet their desired objectives. As more regional trading arrangements are established, it is of paramount importance that international organizations cooperate and coordinate their capacity building efforts in order to deliver and maintain sustainable capacity in customs around the world.

There are few public agencies in which the classic preconditions for institutional corruption are so conveniently presented as in a Customs administration. The potent mixture of administrative monopoly coupled with the exercise of wide discretion, particularly in a work environment that may lack proper systems of control and accountability, can easily lead to corruption. A Customs administration infected with corruption is going to be seriously dysfunctional and the impact of the corruption will be felt throughout the society.

For more than a decade the WCO has played an active and key role In addressing the complex problem of Corruption in public service and more specifically in Customs. As early as late eighties, when it was still a taboo to discuss the problem of corruption in an international forum, the WCO recognized and acknowledged that Corruption could be a major threat to the efficiency and effectiveness of Customs services.

The WCO thus set itself to developing a comprehensive strategy and a programme to promote integrity in Customs. Since then WCO s integrity strategy and programme has progressed in logical phases. In phase 1 it developed a comprehensive strategy to address the issue of Integrity in Customs. This work resulted in the adoption of the historic Arusha Declaration in 1993. In phase 2 an institutional mechanism (establishment of an Integrity Working Group, now PTC Integrity Sub-Committee) and supporting instruments (WCO Integrity Self-Assessment Guide and Model Code of Conduct) as well as the WCO Integrity Action Plan were developed. In its current phase the WCO s integrity related work is characterized by consolidation, integration and promotion of its instruments and initiatives. The WCO has adopted the Revised Arusha Declaration in its Council Sessions in 2003. To assist Members in implementing the Revised Arusha Declaration, the WCO has developed the Integrity Development Guide as a comprehensive integrity tool set, incorporating the existing supporting instruments. The WCO Integrity Action Plan was also updated for the year 2003/2004.

There have been many undertakings to improve integrity in Customs at national and regional levels, in addition to the global efforts. One of the key examples is the Maputo Declaration, adopted in March 2002 by the Heads of Customs across the African Continent.

For further information, please visit WCO Web site: www.wcoomd.org.