The Smart Customs Community Portal has been developed in the framework of the WCO Smart Customs project, with the financial support of China Customs.
In 2022, WCO Members identified “Technology and Innovation” as one of the three focus areas of the WCO Strategic Plan 2022-2025, to promote Customs digitalization and modernization.
As highlighted in the WCO/WTO Study Report on Disruptive Technologies (June 2022), the holistic use of technologies is critical for the “Smart” Customs of the future. Currently, Customs administrations are embracing technologies in a largely independent way, which is creating gaps in their level of technological development.
The WCO Smart Customs project was launched in December 2023 for a duration of 3 years, with the financial support of China Customs. It represents a pivotal initiative to bridge these gaps, advancing technological integration within Customs administrations worldwide. Building upon the foundational insights from the WCO/WTO Study Report on Disruptive Technologies (June 2022), this project seeks to delve deeper into the practical application and adoption of key disruptive technologies within Customs operations.
The Project will develop detailed reports about the minimum technical specifications (for implementation/integration), costs and trends, as well as use cases, business processes, policy arrangements, and legal requirements for the technologies in focus.
They have been identified through regional consultations with Members, and a survey aimed at assessing Members’ needs and technological adoption status.
All the other technologies that are not currently in focus are addressed by the Project through updates of the Study Report, as well as through discussions via the Community Portal and regional workshops.
The technologies in focus are:
Artificial intelligence and Machine learning
Blockchain
Cloud computing
