# World Customs Organization

*Last updated: 2026-06-26*

> A freight forwarder shipping goods from Shanghai to Hamburg relies on both customs authorities working from the same basic rulebook – that rulebook is the World Customs Organization (WCO).

A freight forwarder shipping goods from Shanghai to Hamburg relies on both customs authorities working from the same basic rulebook – that rulebook is the World Customs Organization (WCO). Headquartered in Brussels, the WCO is an intergovernmental body that develops global customs standards, harmonizes border procedures, and coordinates data exchange between national customs administrations. Its most widely used instrument is the Harmonized System (HS), the internationally recognized commodity nomenclature that underpins tariff classification and trade statistics worldwide. With more than 180 member countries, the WCO's standards cover the vast majority of global trade flows. For customs brokers and freight forwarders, this translates into consistent procedures and a shared compliance language across borders.

**Source:** [https://www.wcoomd.org](https://www.wcoomd.org)

## Quick Facts

| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Term | World Customs Organization |
| Language | EN |
| Word count | 112 |
| Last updated | 2026-06-26 |
| Source | https://www.wcoomd.org |

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