WCO observes International Customs Day 2023 : Origin, Theme and Relevance

International Customs Day is celebrated every year globally on January 26 to acknowledge the role of customs officials in managing efficient flow and exchange of goods and services across countries. This year the theme of International Customs Day is ‘Nurturing the next generation’.

This year’s theme focuses on fostering and promoting a culture of knowledge-sharing and professional pride in the field. Following the theme, World Customs Organisation(WCO) members will get to showcase their endeavours in this domain.

Historically, the International Customs Day started after WCO announced the observance of ICD in an inaugural session to celebrate 30 years of its first session and establishment. ICD was conducted and celebrated first in 1983 in Brussels, Belgium. The WCO was earlier called the Customs Cooperation Council (CCC) which was established in 1953. It has 182 member states currently.


The main purpose of observing ICD is to encourage and enhance guidance, leadership and support to customs management, as WCO believes that Customs can help build connections between nations. ICD tries to bring to the fore the challenges and working conditions of custom administrators.

The customs organisations organise and conduct workshops, speeches, appreciation events, and seminars on the occasion. Furthermore, leading and renowned customs organisations of the member countries come together to observe the day along with the United Nations(UN) as the host.

FAQs:

Q1.When was the Customs Cooperation Council (CCC) renamed to World Customs Organisation (WCO) ?
The CCC was renamed to WCO in 1994.

Q2.What was the theme of International Customs Day last year?
The theme of International Customs Day 2022 was ‘Scaling up Customs Digital Transformation’. The theme focussed on the necessity to usher in a data-friendly culture and create an ecosystem of data in the customs industry.