Integrity in Customs is a cornerstone of trade resilience, competitiveness and sustainable economic growth: message from the WCO at the OECD Global Anti-Corruption & Integrity[...]

• Strong, transparent Customs institutions are crucial for economic growth and competitiveness.
• It is fundamental to protect Customs against corruption and threats from organized crime.
• Through the WCO, Customs administrations have access to comprehensive guidance material and tools, as well as tailor-made technical support.

The WCO was represented at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) annual Global Anti-Corruption & Integrity Forum (GACIF) held last week in Paris, France. The event explored how integrity and anti-corruption efforts, which have been traditionally seen as safeguards, can also serve as engines for performance, resilience and innovation. With international trade being a powerful driver of economic development as well as a sector where corruption risks are high and multifaceted, many of the discussions highlighted the critical nature of Customs' efforts in fostering integrity and combating corruption. The WCO Deputy Secretary General, Ricardo Treviño Chapa, and WCO representatives shared some of the insights gained by the Organization through the delivery of capacity building and consultations with its Members.

Building upstream resilience to organized crime

As criminal networks grow more sophisticated, the threat they pose to society and the economy through corruption, infiltration and intimidation demands decisive action. With this in mind, the GACIF opened on Monday 23 March 2026 with a "Conference on Building Upstream Resilience to Organized Crime" during which participants explored how countries can effectively prevent and respond to corruption driven by organized crime.

In his remarks, WCO Deputy Secretary General Treviño Chapa drew attention to the vulnerabilities within global supply chains that criminal organizations seek to exploit, emphasized Customs' pivotal role in building upstream resilience against such organizations, and explained how the WCO is actively supporting its Members in bolstering their integrity.

Citing data collected from Customs administrations having conducted a WCO Customs Integrity Perception Survey (CIPS), he revealed that, in some of those administrations, up to 20% of Customs officials acknowledged facing threats or pressure from organized crime. He explained that the WCO provides its Members with a platform to discuss how to respond to such issues and to share efficient measures and practice through its Integrity Sub-Committee. For example, guidance has been provided on how to spark meaningful discussions on the risk of criminal infiltration and provide staff with the knowledge and skills that will enable them to determine the best course of action in the face of a threatening situation.

Strengthening Customs integrity as an economic strategy

The Deputy Secretary General also addressed the GACIF Plenary, underscoring how strong, transparent Customs institutions are crucial for economic growth and competitiveness. He stressed that strengthening Customs institutional integrity is not just an issue of better governance but also of economic strategy, as Customs facilitates legal trade while also enforcing rules designed to protect national interests.

His remarks echoed discussions held during a GACIF Knowledge Partner Session hosted earlier in the day by the WCO Anti-Corruption and Integrity Promotion (A-CIP) Programme team, representing one of the WCO's flagship capacity-building programmes. During this side event, speakers from the OECD, the International Chamber of Commerce, the Ukraine State Customs Service and the WCO discussed how building a culture of integrity within Customs fuels economic development, as well as how to leverage data and performance metrics to inform the development of efficient integrity policies and initiatives. Participants acknowledged the lack of inclusion of Customs in national governments' anti-corruption strategies, and WCO representatives highlighted that insights gained by conducting a CIPS or implementing the WCO Performance Measurement Mechanism (PMM) can greatly contribute to the success of such strategies.

Matching ambition with capacity

Discussions held at the GACIF reaffirmed the strategic importance of building integrity within Customs and underscored the critical role played by Customs in fostering economic prosperity. This view is shared by WCO Members, which have made integrity a core Customs value in the WCO Strategic Plan 2025-2028 and which have identified tangible paths towards the integration of integrity principles in work programmes related to trade facilitation, revenue collection and protection of society. Thanks to the Government of Norway, which has renewed its funding of the WCO A-CIP Programme, the WCO will be able to continue supporting the Customs community in implementing WCO recommended practices and tools over the next five years.