A European Union Customs Competency Framework (EU Customs CFW) is now available for use by national customs services and businesses having to deal with customs. It has been developed in collaboration with public and private experts from EU Member States (MS), the World Customs Organization (WCO) and other international sources.
What is the EU Customs Competency Framework?
A major goal of the EU Customs CFW is to help harmonise and raise customs performance standards throughout the EU.
The EU Customs CFW is the foundation which sets out a consensus view of knowledge, skills and behaviours required by customs professionals in the EU and further defines public and private Customs roles (‘Job profiles’).
In addition, it offers tools to map and adapt the agreed EU Customs competencies and role descriptions to varying organisational and structural customs realities, for both national administrations and businesses.
What is in it for YOU?
The framework provides a mechanism to further improve organisational performance of the customs profession, even in difficult times.
It allows to:
- identify competency gaps and training needs;
- mitigate the risks related to pending retirement waves;
- assess staff against established standards;
- raise customs performance standards;
- improve both operational and human resources processes.
What are the framework’s components*?
The framework includes four groups of competencies: the core values, and professional, operational and managerial competencies. Meaning and scope of the 4 categories and each competency are set out in an ‘EU Customs Competency Dictionary’. All competencies are further specified with well-defined proficiency levels: ‘awareness’, ‘trained’, ‘advanced’ and ‘expert’.
Public and private sector core customs roles (‘Job descriptions’) complete the EU Customs CFW package.
Download the EU Customs Competency Framework (public sector & businesses) – for FREE!
The public sector version is available in 22 EU languages; the private sector version is available in English.
Building on this framework, two European Training Curricula for Customs have been developed, one for the public sector, one for the private sector. These curricula set out the ‘Learning Topics’ and ‘Learning Outcomes’ for training programmes that are tailored towards customs professionals working in the European Union.
Using these curricula even further, a set of Reference Training Programmes has been created for training providers as a basis for comparison to build or enhance their training programme structures and training materials.
An EU Recognition Process for customs training programmes is currently being driven forward. Its purpose is to deliver a quality label for the accredited Customs Training programmes (Masters, Bachelors, Expert modules or vocational training courses). This will on the one hand give a quality assurance to the trainees and on the other hand help to further harmonise and raise customs performance standards throughout the European Customs Union.