Connectivity as the way to effective communication among global customs community

CONNECTIVITY AS THE WAY TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION AMONG GLOBAL CUSTOMS COMMUNITY

Cooperation, communication, coordination and collaboration are indispensable to Customs operations, ensuring continuous connectivity between Customs and its international, regional and national partners.                                   

The importance of cooperation, particularly the value of inter-connectedness among Customs and its partners cannot be overrated.                                                   

For the international Customs community, connectivity connotes a vision of arrangements worldwide that support the smooth and lawful flow of goods, services, people, technologies, capital, culture, and ideas. It galvanizes the establishment of partnerships, the preparation of research, the sharing of knowledge, and the delivery of capacity building.

Connectivity paves the way for community protection, modernization, and economic development. It encapsulates strengthened coordination, cooperation and communication between Customs administrations, with other government agencies and institutions and with the private sector, at national, regional and international levels.

Because of the division by the borders, the main challenge for Customs administrations is to identify and pursue the best methods to increase connectivity, which refers to people-to-people, institutional, and information linkages, which underpin and facilitate the achievement of objectives.

It is important to emphasize that connectivity encompasses three main pillars: people connectivity, which includes a partnership with the business sector, and knowledge and professionalism; institutional connectivity, which covers Customs-to-Customs connectivity and Customs-to-other government agency connectivity; and information connectivity, which acts as an enabler and includes Globally Networked Customs and technology and innovative solutions.

Technology plays a vital role in automating and empowering connectivity, primarily between a Customs agency and its customers. Beyond that, technology also enables connectivity between a Customs agency and its government, other government departments, other Customs agencies, and trade enabling global organizations, such as the WCO and the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Technology is evolving rapidly and providing innovative new ways to drive and enhance connectivity, giving Customs significant new opportunities to transform its operations and effectiveness.

Nowadays technology provides the basis for the changing role of Customs and opens up new opportunities for connectivity and interaction. As the technology that underpins this connectivity evolves, so must Customs, if it is to realize the potential of that technology and continue to effectively facilitate global trade.

One of the important ways of improving and strengthening connectivity is sharing and exchanging knowledge and technologies, developing protocols, standards and guidelines for the exchange of data, standardization of systems and interfaces. So adopting a common set of global standards and formats is one of the first steps to enable Customs to collaborate globally.

Connectivity is the basic component of international communication and collaboration. As a community, it is imperative that we continue to further develop activities and partnerships in order to strengthen connectivity. Through strengthened connectivity, Customs administrations will be in a position to deliver improved border management and enforcement, other government and border regulatory agencies will be in a position to deliver better services, and our business partners will be in a better position to enhance their compliance with Customs requirements.

Connectivity is our way to linking people, institutions, systems and ideas.