Structural shifts in customs functions: practitioner's perspective

A practitioner's perspective on how the customs function is changing inside organisations, presented by Walter Van der Meiren, Customs Brokerage Director at UPS, drawing on experience processing thousands of customs declarations each month across the EU and beyond. Relevant for customs and trade compliance professionals rethinking how their function is structured and resourced.

Topics covered:

• Why customs teams are under growing pressure: low-value e-commerce trade, non-fiscal requirements (CBAM, deforestation, forced labour), rising enforcement and liability expectations
• The shift from a purely transactional, declaration-processing function to a risk-ownership function
• The evolving role of the customs declarant as a strategic advisor and owner of customs and trade data
• Organisational models: centralised policy and governance with decentralised execution, and interfaces with tax, legal, IT and security
• Escalation and decision frameworks for handling non-compliance
• The growing importance of audit readiness and internal control systems since AEO
• Building hybrid skill profiles, training and external engagement with authorities
• Embedding a culture of compliance by design, and technology as an enabler (automation, AI-supported risk assessment, systems interoperability)
• The need for a scalable, resilient operating model able to absorb rapid regulatory change
• Why customs is becoming a strategic control function requiring senior management attention and investment

For a broader overview of the topic, please watch the full recording. The slides are available in the Resources section.

Please note that this summary was generated using AI, based on the recording and available slides.