International Customs Day, celebrated annually on 26 January, honours the vital role that customs authorities play in protecting society through vigilance and commitment, as highlighted in the World Customs Organization’s 2026 theme. Customs administrations stand at the forefront of safeguarding public revenues, enabling lawful trade, and preventing illicit economic activities that undermine economic development and public trust.
Despite ongoing reform efforts, corruption risks and governance weaknesses within customs services continue to pose serious challenges across different parts of Europe. Discretionary decision-making, limited transparency, and insufficient public oversight can weaken institutional integrity and create opportunities for bribery, fraud, and smuggling.
In response, the SELDI initiative promotes good governance, transparency, accountability, and regional cooperation as essential pillars for strengthening customs integrity and aligning institutional practices with the WCO’s call for vigilance and long-term commitment. SELDI’s approach centres on evidence-based policy reform, institutional diagnostics, and the active engagement of civil society as key drivers of sustainable change.
Key Integrity Measures in Customs
Corruption Risk Assessment Systems
Implement formal systems that identify and assess corruption risks within customs operations and pair them with tailored mitigation actions. This helps build institutional vigilance against corruption threats.
Harmonised Legal and Regulatory Frameworks
Ensure customs laws, sanctions, and procedures are transparent, aligned with international and European standards and regularly reviewed, reducing ambiguity and discretionary abuses.
Public Oversight and Civil Society Monitoring
Engage civil society organisations, business communities, and independent watchdogs in the monitoring of customs operations to enhance accountability, improve service delivery, and build public trust.
SELDI Anti-Corruption Strategies Supporting Customs Integrity
Regional Policy Assessments
SELDI conducts comparative research and institutional assessments to identify systemic corruption risks including within customs administrations and to develop evidence-based policy recommendations that support reform at both national and regional levels.
Institutional Collaboration
Recognising that customs-related corruption often transcends national borders, SELDI promotes structured regional cooperation among customs authorities, anti-corruption bodies, and civil society actors to facilitate information exchange and coordinated integrity initiatives.
Capacity Building
SELDI advances capacity building through policy-oriented training, civil society empowerment, and knowledge-sharing platforms that strengthen the ability of public institutions and non-state actors alike to design, implement, and monitor anti-corruption and governance reforms.
International Customs Day 2026 underscores the critical need for transparent, accountable, and corruption-resistant customs services that not only facilitate trade but also protect society through ethical vigilance and institutional commitment. SELDI’s initiative serves as a valuable model for enhancing regional cooperation, promoting policy innovation, and advancing sustainable reforms to combat customs-related corruption across Southeast Europe.
