About International Customs Day
International Customs Day (ICD) recognizes the responsibility of custom officials and agencies maintaining border security as well as focuses on the working conditions and daily challenges faced by that customs officers. It all started on 15th December 1950 in Brussels, Belgium when the Council of the Customs Cooperation was held. Two years later on the 4th November 1952, the Customs Cooperation Council (CCC) agreed upon declaring 26th January 1953 as International Customs Day to commemorate the inaugural session of the Customs Cooperation Council (CCC), which was held in Brussels and attended by seventeen European countries.
Since then, International Customs Day was held annually on January 26. The Customs Cooperation Council (CCC) was renamed to World Customs Organization (WCO) in 1994 and as at today 182 countries has been an active member. The existence of World Custom Organizations helps create the effectiveness and efficiency in global Customs administration.
Meanwhile, for International Customs Day 2018, WCO will officially announce its theme entitled “A Secure Business Environment for Economic Development” in January. According to WCO Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya, for 2018, the WCO’s will focus on ways for customs to support and enhancing the security if the global business environment.
International Customs Day Activities
International Customs Day celebration is used in order to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the Customs Administration Members in terms of providing excellent facilities as well as productivity among its Officers through effective training method. Various kinds of activities are held by Custom agencies in conjunction with International Customs Day, which include organizing employee appreciation events for recognizing outstanding custom officers for their commendable service.
Besides that, public outreach events are also held for creating awareness among the public related to the duties of Customs and responsibilities along with workshops, conferences and talks that focus on the year’s theme as well as its future challenges.
Through International Customs Day, we can also accomplish the Objectives of the World Custom Organizations especially in terms of improving the Collection of the Revenue, Protection of the Community, National Safety and Collection of the Trade Statistics.
Celebration of the International Customs Day
You can provide gifts during International Customs Day with the likes of beautiful flower arrangements for honouring your friends, who are working as Customs whether locally or in other countries throughout the world. Celebration of the International Customs Day will be a lot merrier with lovely flowers to be shared among friends, families or within Customs organization. We should all appreciate the contribution made by Customs worldwide in many fields namely Trade Chain Supply Security, Worldwide Growth of the Customs, Improving many Business Standards and Private-Public Enterprises.
Themed flowers can also be distributed when you are celebrating International Customs Day and also during employee appreciation events that you can organize annually for all outstanding Custom personnel that has been working very hard throughout the year.