Report: The Rising Strategic Power of Customs in an Uncertain Trade Landscape

As we progress through 2026, goods owners continue to navigate supply‑chain disruption, geopolitical tensions, tariff volatility, and rapidly evolving regulations. In this climate, customs is no longer “just compliance.” It is a critical decision-making lens influencing routing choices, sourcing strategies, cost management, and market expansion.

Yet while customs teams play a growing strategic role, many organisations still operate with limited specialist knowledge, constrained resources, and reactive processes. This is Resulting in heightened exposure to compliance risk, rising costs, and operational inefficiencies.

Our findings highlight a widening gap between the growing complexity of global trade and the internal capabilities companies have available to manage it. For example:

• 70% of companies fully outsource customs clearance, driven by capacity constraints and the need for deeper expertise.
• 44% report that customs has gained higher visibility at leadership level.
• Yet only 18% take a proactive approach to trade uncertainty – one in three companies remain predominantly reactive while 10% take even a passive approach.
• Misclassification risk is more widespread than organisations realise, with inconsistent review practices and cautious AI adoption exposing companies to unexpected duties, audits, and disruptions.

The message is clear:
Reactive customs management is no longer viable in 2026 and beyond.

The CEO of Customs Support Group John Wegman notes:

There’s no denying this is a challenging moment for international trade. Yet fewer than one in five manufacturers are making the proactive preparations needed to thrive in this new reality where the role of customs and trade experts will take on greater significance against the ever-changing backdrop of complex regulations and geopolitical disruption.