Notice
Dear Readers
For the first six months following the release of each new edition, the World Customs Journal will be available exclusively to Members of the International Network of Customs Universities (INCU) in the Members-only area of the INCU website. After six months, the Journal will be made available to the general public. All past editions are available to the public on this website.
For information about membership options please visit the INCU website.
Editorial
Prof. David Widdowson AM (Editor-in-Chief)
This year’s WCO Technology Conference and Exhibition, which is being held in Maastricht, has the theme ‘Driving Customs performance with data and technology in the changing landscape of global trade’. As in previous years,
this event will no doubt highlight the opportunities and challenges that new technologies bring to the border management landscape, which are currently front of mind for both regulators and the international trading community.
The conference closely follows the launch of a new edition of the WCO/WTO
Study Report on Disruptive Technologies, which explores those technologies
that are reshaping the way in which trade and trade regulation is carried out. In a similar fashion to the way in which containerisation transformed the physical movement of goods in the 1950s, the use of big data, data analytics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, the Internet of Things, blockchain, biometrics and other technologies are revolutionising the way in which information is being used.
These pivotal issues will also be addressed by several speakers at December’s Partnership in Customs Academic Research and Development (PICARD) conference, to be held in Brussels, under the themes of ‘disruptive technology and enforcement’, ‘data sharing and analysis’ and ‘digital technologies to enhance regulatory performance’.
In light of the emerging opportunities and threats posed by these new and emerging technologies, the Editorial Board would welcome articles from both academics and practitioners for publication in future editions of the World Customs Journal.
Finally, it is heartening to note that, despite the current circumstances under which they are currently living and working, our Ukrainian colleagues are continuing to contribute to the body of academic knowledge in the field of customs and border management, and it is a pleasure to be able to publish two of their research papers in the current edition of the Journal.
