Sergei Mozer
2019 in the scientific aspect was devoted to the formation of the Institute of Digital (Electronic Customs) at the World Customs Organization. All scientific-research materials are available in the domain “Russian Customs Academy: SCIENCE”. We hope this brings to popularization of the WCO and helps students, graduate students, as well as experts of Customs Administrations in studying the features of the functioning of the World Customs Organization. It is worth emphasizing that the WCO is a leading international organization, within the framework of which the modern instrument, tools of customs regulation and trade facilitation are developed.
A face-to-face meeting of the WCO Working Group on E-Commerce (WGEC) was held at the WCO Headquarters in Brussels from 12 to 14 February 2020. The meeting brought together close to 120 delegates from Member Customs administrations, partner international organizations, representatives of the postal and express service industry, e-vendors, e-commerce platforms, logistics service providers, Customs brokers and technology service providers. 
At the invitation of the Universal Postal Union (UPU), WCO Deputy Secretary General, Mr. Ricardo Treviño Chapa, participated in UPU high-level forum on wider postal sector engagement in Bern, Switzerland on 13 February 2020. The forum focused on the possibility of opening up its membership to the private sector postal stakeholders, topic which is currently debated within UPU.
The National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) has opened its nomination for the 13 months Scholarship Programme on Public Finance. This programme, funded by Japan Customs, was established by the WCO in 2000 aimed at improving the human resources of WCO Member Customs administrations. 
The 80th WCO Fellowship Programme, intended for French-speakers, was launched in Brussels on Monday 27 January 2020.
International Customs Day (ICD), which is officially marked on 26 January every year, was celebrated by the WCO Secretariat on 24 January 2020 at the Organization’s headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.
Once again, the Customs community comes together, united in celebrating International Customs Day, which officially falls on 26 January of each year. This special day enables WCO Members, the WCO Secretariat and Customs’ worldwide partners to dedicate themselves to taking forward a particular theme. Thus, throughout 2020, under the slogan “Customs fostering Sustainability for People, Prosperity and the Planet,” the Customs community will be focusing on the contribution of Customs towards a sustainable future where social, economic, health and environmental needs are at the heart of its actions.