International Customs Day 26th January 2021

Every year, January 26 is observed as International Customs Day to mark the role of custom authorities ensuring the flow of international trade. On this day, Customs authorities of the World Organization also highlight their efforts and activities. The first meeting of the World Customs Organization’s (WCO) Customs Cooperation Council was held in 1953, the day on which it was officially named.

Custom is a kind of agency responsible for collecting tariffs across the country.  Customs also regulates the movement of goods to and from the region. These products can range from animals to toxic chemicals to personal products. The WCO contributes to the productivity of customs administrations around the world. The organisations are made up of 182 members from all over the world, headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. Developing countries account for three-quarters of the participants. They are responsible for more than 98 per cent of world trade being handled.

Theme of International Customs Day 2021

This year the International Customs Day 2021 will be celebrated with the slogan  “Customs bolstering Recovery, Renewal and Resilience for a sustainable supply chain”.

This year,  the International Customs Day (ICD) 2021 will be dedicated to the joint efforts of Customs in mitigating the coronavirus crisis and to helping individuals and businesses by strengthened the global supply chain, enhancing alliances, extracting technology and making ‘people’ central to the transformation process.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected people’s lives in a number of unforeseen ways. However, one thing has become quite clear: the continued importance of global trade and efforts to facilitate the smooth cross-border flow of products, especially vital goods, to the areas where they are most needed.

In order to adapt to the new standard, most countries have taken steps and this has been demonstrated on the ground. How to mitigate the effect and encourage a quick recovery once the condition improves is the challenge ahead. Here Customs plays a key role in trading.

The WCO believes that customs bind, while borders separate. Their job is to provide customs authorities with leadership, guidance and support. They also argue that customs help to fulfil our planet’s economic, social, and environmental needs. Customs in turn leads to a lasting future.

Swikriti Dandotia