Professional Standards

As part of the PICARD Programme, the WCO and INCU have jointly developed the WCO Professional Standards (also known as the PICARD Standards) for operational and strategic customs managers to meet the requirements of the new international trading and strategic environment.

Originally published in 2008, the WCO Professional Standards, are the international standards of recognition for Customs related education to meet Customs competency and education demands of modern times. In addition, the WCO has implemented a scheme whereby academic institutions that are able to demonstrate that their curriculum meets these Standards may apply for WCO recognition of their academic program(s). For the first time there was a clearly defined pathway to education in Customs matters. Customs administrations and related agencies, educational institutions and students of сustoms matters now have international standards as criteria for curricula, recruitment and career development.

In 2019, at its 10th session the WCO Capacity Building Committee (CBC) has endorsed the revised version of WCO Professional Standards and the Guidelines on Recognition of University Customs Curricula, which had been again developed jointly by the WCO and INCU, to ensure that the Standards remain up to date and to further facilitate the recognition of university curricula in order to ensure their conformity with the Professional Standards.

The revised WCO Professional Standards and WCO Guidelines for Recognition have been released by the WCO and are now publicly available in English and French.

  • WCO Professional Standards 2019 English, French.
  • WCO Guidelines on Recognition of University Customs Curricula 2019English, French.