Customs protecting society – WCO Secretary General visits the Port of Antwerp-Bruges

• WCO Secretary General Ian Saunders' first official visit to the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, accompanied by officials from Belgian Customs.
• Opportunity to see firsthand advanced technology, intelligence-led operations, and risk management techniques at one of Europe's major hubs.
• Presentations on the ports' daily operations that also reflect the WCO's theme of the year, "Customs Protecting Society through Vigilance and Commitment."

The Port of Antwerp-Bruges plays a strategic role in European and global supply chains, acting as a major gateway for containerized cargo and a critical node for both trade facilitation and supply chain security. The visit provided the Secretary General with an opportunity to observe how Customs operations are implemented in Antwerp and to better understand how WCO standards are applied in a complex, high-volume trade environment.

Adapting to an Evolving Threat Landscape

During the visit, the Secretary General was briefed on measures to combat illicit trafficking, enhance cargo screening, and Belgium Customs approach to coordination among Customs, law enforcement, and port authorities. The Secretary General also had the opportunity to view firsthand the deployment of cargo screening technology that is in use at the port and to speak with Customs officers about the daily challenges of trade facilitation and enforcement at Antwerp.

Speaking at the end of the visit, Secretary General Saunders said, "I really appreciate the opportunity to visit the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, to interact and to learn more from my Belgian Customs colleagues as they manage one of the most significant seaports for entry into the European market. This is an important location from an enforcement perspective, and it's been an opportunity to see Customs in action, exercising its vigilance and commitment to protect the market from dangerous goods of all types, including illegal narcotics. It's an opportunity to really get grounding in this year's theme, in advance of the Council Sessions."

Customs Cooperation in Combating Organized Crime

As one of Europe's largest gateways for international trade, Antwerp illustrates the full scope of the WCO mission. Operations series such as DEMETER (illicit waste prevention) and THUNDER (illegal wildlife smuggling), demonstrate the tangible value of multilateral cooperation in combating environmental crime, illicit trafficking, and other cross-border threats. Antwerp serves as a powerful example of how coordinated international action delivers concrete results for society. The visit which was led by Belgian Customs allowed the Secretary General to engage with officials on these points and express WCO's support and gratitude to Belgium Customs.

Kristian Vanderwaeren, Director General of the Belgian General Administration of Customs said "For Belgian Customs, Secretary General Saunders' visit provided a valuable opportunity to demonstrate firsthand the operational challenges we face every day, including the need for access to advanced technologies and the significant pressure that combating illicit narcotics trafficking places on our organization. We hope that the insights gained during this visit will help raise awareness of these challenges within the WCO community and contribute to further strengthening international cooperation and support in addressing them."

Next Steps

Belgium Customs will be among the 187 WCO Members attending the WCO Council Sessions at the end of June in Brussels.