Theme: Digital

The potential of blockchain in Customs processes could mean improved compliance, trade facilitation or fraud detection - enabling fluent supply chains globally.

The Customs Support Family keeps growing. In July 2022, we welcomed Portmade as a new member in Belgium. Portmade has been active in the customs industry since 1987 when it was still a department of CMB Transport, a Belgian shipping company. 

Trade Deals Around the World is our periodic update, which gives you a quick and easy overview of what has been happening in the many trade deal negotiations worldwide. In this month’s edition, we’ll be giving you an overview of the digital trade deals of 2022 and what you might see in 2023.

From taxing merchants in ancient times to gathering statistics and protecting economies, customs is always evolving. Recent years have not only been about evolution, though. They’ve been about revolution.

Customs systems across the world are evolving, driven by changes in technology, consumer behaviour, and security requirements. The European Union’s Import Control System (ICS), which was launched in 2010, is the latest target for development.

The manufacture of plastic goods has become more available since the development of 3D printers. Where you previously needed to design, test and use moulds in a factory, you can now send a digital file to your 3D printer.

Digitalisation is changing how companies and industries worldwide perform, leading to a customs clearance evolution.

As a leading digital customs broker, we are constantly looking for new technologies and innovations and analysing potential impacts on our operations and customers. One of the developments we are closely following is artificial intelligence. 

As companies and governments work to achieve net-zero carbon, communicate more effectively, and protect people’s data, technology is rapidly advancing around the world, the customs industry is also making strides in innovation.

We live in an exciting and challenging time. The pandemic has changed the world as we know it, and while things are slowly returning to how they were, some changes are here to stay.