World Customs Organization

The World Customs Organization (WCO) is an independent intergovernmental body whose mission is to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of Customs administrations. More

Areas of cooperation between the Secretariat and WCO are, among others:

• The identification of Harmonized System Codes (HS codes) for several wastes streams covered by the Basel Convention and for chemicals or groups of chemicals listed in Annex III to the Rotterdam Convention or listed in the annexes to the Stockholm Convention through the WCO Harmonized System Committee (HSC) and other related committees. More on the work related to the Basel Convention and the work related to the Rotterdam Convention.
• Activities aiming at preventing and combating the illegal traffic in hazardous chemicals and wastes under the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions, e.g. through the Green Customs Initiative and other existing enforcement networks.
• WCO is an observer in the Environmental Network for Optimizing Regulatory Compliance on Illegal Traffic (ENFORCE) established by the Conference of the Parties of the Basel Convention at its eleventh meeting. The mission of ENFORCE is through a network of relevant experts, to promote parties’ compliance with the provisions of the Basel Convention pertaining to preventing and combating illegal traffic in hazardous wastes and other wastes through the better implementation and enforcement of national law.