Technology ecommerce and Green Customs in focus at the Permanent Technical Committee

More than three hundred representatives of Customs administrations, international organizations, academia, and the private sector came together at the end of October 2025 to attend the latest Sessions of the Permanent Technical Committee (PTC) and to contribute to the development of norms and tools designed to enhance efficiency in trade.

Since its first session in April 1953, the PTC has played a vital role in enabling Customs administrations and their partners to collectively identify solutions to recurrent and emerging challenges to secure and facilitate trade operations. The Committee's latest sessions focused on the three key areas of the 2025-2028 WCO Strategic Plan, namely Green Customs, e-commerce, and technology and innovation.

Technology and innovation

Participants first looked at developments under the WCO Smart Customs Project launched in December 2023, with the support of China Customs, to assess Members' technology adoption, reduce digital gaps and promote innovative solutions in Customs. Advances in this area include the design of the Blockchain Readiness Self-Assessment Tool, which will help Members to evaluate their technological capacity and will be released soon. Experiences in applying disruptive technologies were shared, with the Customs administration of Hong Kong, China explaining how its blockchain based solution can be used by parties to a transaction to validate the authenticity of documents, and Kenya Customs how it applies artificial intelligence (AI) to automatize the analysis of images generated by high energy scanners.

Discussions also took place on updating the ICT Guidelines and IT Guide for Executives. A modular structure was proposed by the Mini Group in charge of the updates, the objective being to provide different user groups with more advanced and targeted guidance. The PTC welcomed the Mini Group's proposal for a modular structure and emphasized the importance of the ongoing updates of the ICT Guidelines and the IT Guide for Executives, as well as the need for a continuous review and update process.

The PTC also continued its discussions on a proposal from the Global Express Association (GEA) on Customs treatment of Smart Security Devices (SSDs), aiming for harmonized, duty-free temporary admission policies across Member administrations. Participants supported the need for further deliberations on the topic and to clearly define the term SSDs. They agreed to establish a mini group to analyze the proposal ahead of the next PTC Sessions.

Trade facilitation initiatives

An update was also provided on the United Nations (UN) Awaza Programme of Action for Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), the speaker noting that the WCO delivered 133 capacity building activities in 2024, directly benefiting 29 of 32 LLDCs, helping overcome structural challenges and reduce trade costs. These efforts echoed points made by the WCO Secretary General in his address to the Third United Nations Conference on LLDCs, emphasizing the critical role of international cooperation and sustainable development for landlocked countries.

An update from the World Trade Organization (WTO) covered developments in the Trade Facilitation Committee (TFC), highlighting key 2025 initiatives such as members' experience-sharing on digitalization and Authorized Economic Operator (AEO), and preparations for the second review of the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA). In addition, an update on the state of play with TFA implementation revealed an overall implementation rate of 85.3%.

Discussions also touched on the work of updating the WCO Guidance on National Committees for Trade Facilitation (NCTFs), based on a recent survey that had been conducted among WCO Members, which showed, among others, the need for a robust NCTF for successful TFA implementation. The survey results will constitute a new Annex to the Guidance. Participants also learned about the progress in updating the Practical Guidance on Free Zones with new sections on AEO programmes, Rules of Origins, and seizure cases being developed.

E-commerce

In line with the new PTC approach to strengthening the work on cross-border e-commerce, the second day of the sessions was dedicated to this topic. Discussions centered around WCO's enforcement policy strategy on e-commerce as well as the review of the E- Commerce Package, with Members providing guidance on upcoming updates to the tools supporting the implementation of the WCO Framework of Standards on Cross-Border E-Commerce (E-Commerce FoS), and agreeing to the development of a standardized e-commerce datasets to be reviewed by the PTC.

Breakout sessions on de minimis thresholds and data governance for interoperability fostered rich and in-depth exchanges on how to tackle challenges faced by Customs administrations amid the surge in low-value parcels, highlighting various policies and operational measures - including technology-driven solutions such as digitalization and AI. Presentations from the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) and Nigeria featured experiences in implementing the E-Commerce FoS, while contributions from the Universal Postal Union (UPU) and PayPal underscored the importance of high-quality data sharing and collaboration between Customs and private-sector stakeholders. The day's deliberations reinforced the PTC's commitment to transforming its approach to e-commerce in line with the evolving realities of global trade.

Green Customs

Regarding Green Customs, participants were briefed on the introduction of new e-learning modules for Customs on Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEA) and the new resources developed to support Members' capacity building efforts, as well as on the progress with the development of a Green Customs Assessment Tool which takes into account benchmarks and best practices demonstrated by Members and is expected to be released in November 2025.

The WCO survey on Green Customs initiatives showed a 60 percent response rate, with 109 out of 187 Members participating. The results highlighted a range of innovative activities, while some participants called for a clearer distinction between Customs-led and other government initiatives. In response, the WCO committed to ensuring that future reporting will accurately reflect Customs-specific actions and to continuing efforts to promote the sharing of good practices among Members. Based on the survey findings, a Compendium of Green Customs Good Practices will be developed and will include the contribution of 28 Members who agreed to share their experiences. The Compendium will also include examples of successful environmental practices in Customs operations.

Upcoming Summary Report

A Summary Report of the PTC discussions will be available to WCO Members and the public in the coming weeks on the WCO website.