Walter Van der Meiren
Walter is the Customs Brokerage Director at UPS and represents the interests of the express industry and trade at various forums and working groups, such as the European Express Association, the Customs and Trade Facilitation Committee at AmCham EU, the Trade Contact Group at EU Commission DG Taxud, and the Trade Facilitation Committee of the European Express Industry. With over 35 years of experience working in customs, Walter received multiple recognitions for his contributions to the international customs community, such as the Certificate of Merit from the World Customs Organization and the Customs Professional Award from the International Chamber of Commerce.
Content by Walter Van der Meiren
Structural shifts in customs functions: practitioner's perspective
In this recording, Walter Van der Meiren, Customs Brokerage Director at UPS, shares his insights on the topic “The customs function within the organisation - a future-proof set-up.” In conclusion, he notes that “customs within our organisation is becoming a strategic control function. Data, people and governance are decisive. The...
Why EU customs penalties need harmonisation
Fragmentation in how countries tackle customs violations undermines both fairness and predictability. Across the EU, this patchwork approach leads to uneven deterrence, creates opportunities for forum shopping, and exposes compliant traders to unnecessary legal uncertainty. The message is clear: the EU needs to harmonise administrative sanctions. For a deeper dive...
Management of the e-commerce boom: what customs authorities need to be successful
The rapid expansion of e-commerce has created opportunities for business and individuals and significant challenges for customs authorities worldwide. The exponential growth in the volume of small parcels, regulatory compliance issues and emerging threats have strained existing customs frameworks. This article explores the key challenges posed by e-commerce for customs...
E-commerce: friend or foe?
Who doesn’t enjoy a bit of online shopping? Yet e-commerce poses many challenges not only in the EU but worldwide. The rise of companies like Shein and Temu, offering inexpensive products or that often fail to meet EU product standards and safety regulations and the staggering speed with which the...
Popular articles
Management of the e-commerce boom: what customs authorities need to be successful
The rapid expansion of e-commerce has created opportunities for business and individuals and significant challenges for customs authorities worldwide. The exponential growth in the volume of small parcels, regulatory compliance issues and emerging threats have strained existing customs frameworks. This article explores the key challenges posed by e-commerce for customs...
Structural shifts in customs functions: practitioner's perspective
In this recording, Walter Van der Meiren, Customs Brokerage Director at UPS, shares his insights on the topic “The customs function within the organisation - a future-proof set-up.” In conclusion, he notes that “customs within our organisation is becoming a strategic control function. Data, people and governance are decisive. The...
Why EU customs penalties need harmonisation
Fragmentation in how countries tackle customs violations undermines both fairness and predictability. Across the EU, this patchwork approach leads to uneven deterrence, creates opportunities for forum shopping, and exposes compliant traders to unnecessary legal uncertainty. The message is clear: the EU needs to harmonise administrative sanctions. For a deeper dive...