Prof. David Widdowson
(Editor-in-Chief)

World Customs Day, 26 January 2010, witnessed the World Customs Organization’s (WCO) formal recognition of the first academic programs to meet the standards it has set for the customs profession. At a ceremony at the WCO headquarters in Brussels, the Secretary General, Mr Kunio Mikuriya, awarded Certificates of Recognition to three universities: the University of Münster, Germany; Riga Technical University, Latvia; and the University of Canberra, Australia. Such recognition is a clear endorsement of the commitment shown by the universities over a period of many years to raise the academic standing of the customs profession. This is indeed a milestone worth celebrating!

The next step, in my view, is to further develop the standards to address the requirements of the broader range of professionals who manage the diverse facets of our borders. Indeed, truly effective border management is reliant upon the collaborative efforts of all who have a role to play in the cross-border movement of goods and people.

March 2010
(Current issue)

This concept of collaborative border management is examined in some detail in the two lead articles of this edition. Erich Kieck presents a well-argued case for international, rather than simply national coordination, and points to the potential economic and enforcement benefits of one-stop posts at shared border crossings. In doing so, he identifies the need to provide relevant agencies with the necessary capacity to implement the associated procedural reforms. In another discerning commentary, Tom Doyle suggests that effective collaborative border management relies on a positive professional relationship between the trading community and regulatory authorities. Key outcomes, he contends, include a reduction in operational costs resulting from more effective and efficient deployment of resources, and efficiencies in customer service.

Also included in this edition is an insightful article by Dr Rolf Rosenkranz, who addresses the emergence of the Arctic as an up and coming economic area and major traffic route. It is with deep regret that I must inform our readers that Dr Rosenkranz, a respected economic specialist and freelance journalist, passed away on 9 March 2010.

Articles in the next edition of the Journal will include papers presented at this year’s PICARD conference (see the Special Report in Section 3), which will focus on customs-business partnerships, performance measurement, revenue collection, and the impact of climate change on international trade and customs management. The editorial group also welcomes other contributions that would be of interest to our readers. Once again, thank you for your ongoing support for the World Customs Journal.