The World Customs Organization (WCO) is an intergovernmental organization that helps its members (Customs administrations or Customs Unions) communicate and co-operate on customs issues. It was established in 1952 as the Customs Co-operation Council and adopted its current name in 1994.
 

Members of the WCO

Headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, the WCO develops standards on customs procedures and provides capacity building assistance to its members. It has established an international standard classification of commodities called the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System, which is used to classify goods for tariff purposes the application of tariffs. The WCO has 174 members; see World Customs Organization member states. The current Secretary General is Kunio Mikuriya of Japan (2009-present) and the current Council Chairperson is Martyn Dunne of New Zealand (2008-present).
 

The WCO does not deal with tariff and trade disputes; these issues fall under the jurisdiction of the World Trade Organization.
 

In June 2005, the WCO adopted the Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade ("SAFE"),[1] an international instrument containing 17 standards that promotes supply chain security.