WCO and German Customs sign a new Grant Agreement

The World Customs Organization (WCO) has concluded an agreement with the German Customs Authority, establishing a new Customs Cooperation Fund of Germany (CCF-Germany) for the period 2024-2028. This agreement, designed to enhance capacity-building initiatives, was signed on June 28 in Brussels during the WCO Council Sessions. The signing ceremony featured Hans Pieters, Head of Administration and Personnel for the WCO, and Mr. Martin Reuter, Head of Unit International Affairs at the Central Customs Authority, representing Germany.

The CCF-Germany will allocate funds to support various capacity-building activities for WCO Members from the European Union, potential candidate countries, and countries under the European Neighborhood Policy. This financial support will facilitate training programs for Customs officials, seminars, workshops, and regional meetings aimed to promote trade facilitation, improve compliance and enforcement, and advance Customs modernization efforts.

This is the third funding agreement between the WCO and German Customs, following previous agreements that covered 2014-2018 and 2020-2024. Each successive agreement has built on the successes of its predecessor, ensuring continuous improvement and adaptation to new challenges in the Customs sector. These agreements have consistently demonstrated the strong partnership and commitment to capacity-building and modernization within the Customs community.

The WCO has expressed its profound appreciation to the Central Customs Authority of the Federal Republic of Germany for its steadfast support and collaborative spirit. This partnership is expected to further enhance the WCO’s ability to provide assistance to its Members, ensuring that they are better equipped to handle the complexities of modern Customs operations.