PURPOSE: The International Customs Day observed on 26 January is dedicated to the united efforts of Customs to support people and businesses by strengthening the global supply chain, reinforcing collaboration, harnessing technology and putting traditional and new partners at the centre of the transformation process. The customs administrations worldwide are invited to follow the WCO Strategic Plan 2022-2025.

FORUM: “Customs Protecting Society through Vigilance and Commitment.” International Customs Day 2026. The World Customs Organization (WCO) is dedicating 2026 to Customs protecting society through vigilance and commitment. The Secretariat is inviting Members to look at how they support newly-recruited officers, facilitate the sharing of knowledge, and heighten the sense of pride in being part of this institution and of the global Customs community. The WCO Members will have the opportunity to showcase the efforts and activities in this domain. This celebration is also an opportunity for the WCO, as the voice of the global Customs community, to highlight a specific area in which our community can take collective action. This year, we are elevating the profile of Customs as a protector of society and to demonstrate our dedication to safety and security through the WCO’s theme. Follow the conversation with the hashtags: #InternationalCustomsDay, #26January, #Customs.

EVENTS: on January 26th, International Customs Day 2026, The participants are invited to mark the Anniversary of the WCO - a unique Organization dedicated to international cooperation and the sharing of knowledge. We need to demonstrate that strong and well-equipped Customs authorities are indispensable to national and international security, public health, environmental protection, trade facilitation and supply chain integrity.  We can showcase operational achievements, underlining the practices and tools enabling them, and demonstrate the value of information and intelligence sharing, regional and international cooperation, capacity building, risk management, detection equipment and data analysis as cornerstones of safeguarding our society. Customs’ protective mandate is not limited to enforcement against illicit firearms, financial flows, narcotics and unsafe goods. It also extends to advancement of public health and safety, environmental stewardship, disaster response, and overall security. As more effective protection of society demands a unified response, we also need to show how building partnerships with other administrations, governmental authorities, law enforcement and intelligence agencies, international organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and trade and logistics operators brings an important added value in securing our borders and global supply chains. We encourage Members to actively participate in WCO-led operations and to make full use of WCO standards, guidance and tools that are tailored to the needs of Customs administrations. The strength of our vigilance comes from using all the tools at our disposal.  Learn more about and Register to participate.

UPCOMING CONFERENCES: 2026 WCO Technology Conference.

From 28-30 January, 2026, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates the 2026 WCO Technology Conference will be held. Under the theme “Customs Agility in a Complex World: Securing and Facilitating Trade through Innovation”, the Conference will explore how the global Customs community can navigate change with agility, harness innovation to enhance security and protect borders and supply chains, and at the same time drive trade facilitation. Each of the three conference days will be dedicated to a forward-looking theme. Day 1 will be devoted to the “Securing Borders for a Safer Trade” theme, Day 2 will focus on “Trade Facilitation through Digital Pathways” and Day 3 will be the day of ”nnovating for the Future of Customs”. Through its sessions, the Conference will demonstrate how advanced technologies, data analytics and diverse partnerships strengthen border protection, simplify and accelerate trade and shape the future of Customs operations in an increasingly complex environment.

What to expect

• Engaging exchanges among leaders and practitioners on emerging challenges and opportunities in the use of advanced technologies by Customs.

• Case studies and demonstrations showcasing practical solutions from around the world.

• Ample networking to connect with peers, experts and solution providers.

Exhibition: Running alongside the conference, the exhibition provides an opportunity to experience current and next-generation solutions first-hand, with opportunities to meet providers, compare approaches and discuss implementation.

Who will attend: Senior officials and experts from Customs and other border agencies, technology providers, the wider business community, international organizations, development partners and academia - everyone shaping the future of cross-border trade.

Explore the Event's website; Agenda don’t forget the Registration and watch the livestream!.

PHOTO COMPETITION: The Competition provides WCO Members with a means to showcase their Administration’s history, activities and successes. Overview of past WCO Photo Competitions.

PUBLICATIONS: Get the following resources to read about Customs!

1. The Harmonized System (a Universal Language for International Trade) allows a world of many languages to speak with one. It enables the identification of thousands of products that cross our borders thanks to its 6 digits hierarchical structures. It is a multipurpose nomenclature and a reference for trade, the HS is one of the most successful instruments developed by the World Customs Organization. Its Convention has 156 Contracting Parties and the HS is used by more than 200 countries, territories and Customs or Economic Unions. It forms the basis for Customs tariffs and statistical nomenclatures around the world, and is used for around 98% of world trade. 

2. This fourth volume deals with the Global Information and Intelligence Strategy developed by the Secretariat of the World Customs Organization together with Customs Administrations Members of WCO. It is a summary document which sets out the framework for an information and intelligence management plan aimed at optimizing controls on the cross-frontier movement of goods and facilitating legitimate trade. This material is intended both for Customs administrations and for their partners, being both the sources and the users of information and intelligence.

3. The World Customs Organization (WCO) Handbook on HS Classification is an essential introduction to the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System, also known as the Harmonized System or HS. This 3rd edition 2022 of the HS Manual expands on the previous 2013 version in several ways and will be of interest to experts and beginners alike. It explains the origins of the Harmonized System, the complete procedure leading to classification decisions, sets out the provisions for its maintenance and describes the complementary publications of the Harmonized System.

4. The Compendium of Classification Opinions regroups the list of classification opinions taken by the Harmonized System Committee. Most of these classification opinions are present at a sub-heading level (6 digits) in the Nomenclature and address the classification of products such as “Mozzarella cheese” 0406.10. The Classification Opinions aim to facilitate the interpretation of the HS Nomenclature and its Explanatory Notes. For the last 35 years, the Harmonized System has become a universal customs language for classifying goods and is the foundation of all National tariff around the world.

5. Explanatory Notes to the Harmonized System 2022 are interpretative texts developed by the Harmonized System Committee and adopted by the Council. They provide technical descriptions of goods and practical indications for the classification and identification of products.

STATEMENTS: Message by the Secretary-General of the WCO on International Customs Day 2026; January 26th.