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nternational Customs Day is celebrated on Jan. 26 and this year the global customs community will look forward to an ambitious future agenda.

The centerpiece of the World Trade Organization'€™s (WTO) '€œBali Package'€ of trade agreements, finalized at the 9th WTO Ministerial Conference meeting last December, is the Agreement on Trade Facilitation (ATF).

We would like to applaud the role played by Indonesian Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan in particular in successfully hosting the conference and steering it to a successful conclusion. The agreement involves specific commitments to reform, simplify and modernize procedures, and increase transparency and predictability for traders.

At the heart of trade facilitation lies the work of customs. The pivotal role of customs authorities in making trade facilitation a reality involves, above all, a shift of perspective and perception. Customs services are not only a gatekeeper, enforcer and state revenue collector, but is also an important service provider to society and contributor to economic development and global welfare.

Critically, customs need to be supported and strengthened to better fulfill this role. Empowering national customs authorities will be crucial for the successful implementation of the ATF and realizing its benefits worldwide.

The potential of the ATF in the Bali Package is significant. The measures will boost prosperity by reducing administrative burdens and transaction costs.

In addition to economic efficiency, it will have a positive societal dimension, as measures will help reduce the scope for corruption, criminality and security risks in the global supply chain. The deal is expected to save developing countries around US$325 billion a year and accelerate their integration into the world economy.

By helping developing and least developed countries become more efficient traders, the agreement provides opportunities to build a more prosperous future. Developed countries also stand to gain with a 10 percent cut in their trade costs and easier trade flows for their operators. The potential new gains from trade facilitation are considerable, especially for those who have yet to apply its principles.

A strong merit of the ATF is its recognition that certain countries will need financial support, technical assistance and transition time before they can fully implement the commitments. Reform requires resources and technical capacity, but the agreement ensures that those who need and ask for support will receive it. Moreover, the instruments, tools and strategies for implementing trade facilitation measures already exist.

With decades of experience in implementing global customs standards, the World Customs Organization (WCO) is an important source of expertise and support for its 179 member countries, covering 98 percent of world trade. WCO standards and technical assistance delivery will support the global uniform implementation of the ATF.

The European Union (EU) has long recognized the merits of trade facilitation, and EU countries are among the top countries in international rankings in this field. A strong proponent of the ATF, the EU is now keen to ensure that all countries are in the same position to reap the benefits from facilitating trade.

The WCO and the EU are ready to step up this work and mobilize their members in the implementation of the WTO ATF. Financial and technical support is just one side of the coin. Accessing the benefits of trade facilitation will also require leadership and ambition, which each nation will need to muster on its own.

Policymakers, the trade authority, and the customs administration must be fully committed to trade facilitation while still applying mandated border controls.

Only with the full cooperation of all national stakeholders can the implementation of the ATF be effective and impact on national welfare. The next few months offer great opportunity to pursue improved trade facilitation and to lay the groundwork for a more prosperous future.

Algirdas Å emeta is European commissioner for taxation and customs. Kunio Mikuriya is secretary general of World Customs Organization (WCO).