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A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between IATA and the World Customs Organization (WCO) by IATA's Director General and CEO, Mr Giovanni Bisignani, and WCO's Secretary General, Mr. Kunio Mikuriya.
 
IATA and WCO are strong allies in the facilitation of trade and the MoU aims to further strengthen the close cooperation between the two organizations. Both IATA and the WCO work to ensure the secure and efficient transportation and clearance of air cargo, through the implementation of harmonized processes and standards. 

The WCO message standards for providing shipment information to customs authorities are fully compliant with existing  IATA Cargo-IMP and Cargo-XML standard mesasges used in e-freight, demonstrating WCO’s support of customs’ move to an electronic environment.  Such support will be critical in increasing the adoption of e-freight and  the electronic Air Waybilll (e-AWB)  in the supply chain.

Both organizations are also working closely together to enhance security along the supply chain. Following the security events in October 2010, it was agreed by both parties to revise the MoU to include “Air Cargo Security” as an additional area of cooperation. 

IATA participates in  many of the WCO’s  working group including the Private Sector Consultative Group, which provides feedback on the organization’s SAFE Framework of Standards, designed to secure international trade. Likewise WCO participates from time to time as an observer at IATA working groups such as the Customs Advisory Working Group.   

Tradition of Cooperation

IATA and WCO have a long tradition of cooperation especially concerning cargo and information exchange. This was first formalized in the form of a 1988 MoU between the two parties, and the MoU was incorporated into the IATA Cargo Services Conference Resolution 656 “Automated Data Interchange with Customs”.