On International Holidays Calendar, January 26, is counted as “International Customs Day”.
The history of this date is related to the establishment of the Customs Cooperation Council in 1952. On January 26, 1953, exactly 66 years ago in Brussels, the constitutive session of this organization was held. The inaugural session was attended by representatives of the 17 founding countries. In honor of this event, from this year, January 26 is celebrated as “International Customs Day”.
This institution changed its name in 1994 and is now called the “World Customs Organization”.
Celebrating annually, “International Customs Day” recognizes the role of customs officers and agencies in maintaining border security. It focuses on working conditions and challenges faced by customs officers in their workplaces.
The World Customs Organization as an intergovernmental organization prepares, maintains, supports and promotes international instruments for the harmonized and uniform use of efficient and simplified customs economic systems and procedures related to the movement of goods and people and customs passage cooperates against the violations customs rules and the fight against transnational crime. The WBD assists member countries in promoting contemporary business activities, promotes cooperation between member states and other international organizations, and the use of good work experiences. Under its patronage, the most important international conventions in the field of customs have been adopted.
This organization now has 183 members operating in all continents and representing all phases of economic development. Today, OBD members are responsible for processing more than 98% of all world trade.
From January 25, 2017, a member of the WCO was also Kosovo.
“Pjetër Budi” College, since its foundation in 2005, is the only Albanian-speaking university institution in the Balkans that provides university studies for Customs and Freight Forwarders. As the only institution of Higher Education, the College “Pjeter Budi” contributes to the preparation of professional cadres in the field of customs and transportation, as two specific areas and necessary for the economic development of our country. As an elite institution in the field of customs, “Pjeter Budi” College has joined the “International University Network of Customs” (https://incu.org/directory/affiliate-academic-institutions/).
This membership proves the work and success of this institution.