Study Guide

The WCO Integrity Guide describes four areas of Customs work: revenue collection, community protection, trade facilitation, and national security, that all depend on integrity. A perceived lack of it can destroy an administration's legitimacy and cripple its ability to do its job.

The adverse effects of (a) corruption, (b) a perceived lack of integrity, and (c) weak governance measures within Customs administration may include:

Revenue leakage         Distorted economic incentives         Lower public trust in government         Weaker cooperation between agencies         Lower staff morale

Higher costs borne by the community         Less voluntary compliance         Weakened national security         New barriers to trade and growth

Integrity in Customs also supports global trade governance. Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), WTO rules, and Free Trade Agreements all assume consistent, corruption‑free enforcement at borders. Without integrity, even the best‑designed trade rules cannot function effectively.