WCO signs Cooperation Agreement with UPU

On 9 May 2022, at the invitation of Mr. Masahiko Metoki, Director General of the Universal Postal Union (UPU), Dr. Kunio Mikuriya, Secretary General of the World Customs Organization (WCO) visited UPU's Headquarters in Bern, Switzerland, for signing a Cooperation Agreement between the two organizations.

At the ceremony held during the meeting of UPU's Postal Operations Council (POC), Dr. Mikuriya and Mr. Metoki signed the Agreement in front of representatives of designated postal operators.

The new Cooperation Agreement intends to replace the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) originally signed by the WCO and the UPU in 1994 and amended in 2007, in order to reflect the recent regulatory and technology developments and adequately respond to the rapid growth of international mail volumes stemming from E-Commerce.

In his speech to the POC, Secretary General Mikuriya highlighted the importance of enhancing cooperation between the two Organizations to jointly ensure a balance between the facilitation of postal clearance processes and the compliance of the postal items with national laws.

Both leaders agreed to organize the first Joint WCO-UPU Global Conference, in the first half of 2023, and invite both Customs administrations and designated postal operators to promote cooperation at national level in jointly seeking better solutions in the future.

Dr. Mikuriya took the opportunity to meet with Mr. Christian Bock, Director General of Swiss Customs, to discuss matters of mutual interest, including the upcoming WCO Council Sessions in June.

He also visited the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and met with Ambassador Thomas Zimmermann and his team to discuss the progress of the SECO-WCO Global Trade Facilitation Programme and explore the possible way forward.