International Customs Day 2026 and Vilnius Manifesto

In October 2025, the Customs Ecosystem Conference took place. Stakeholders from business, customs, and academia came together to develop a shared vision for the coherent, balanced, and sustainable implementation of EU customs policy.

The outcome of this work is the Vilnius Manifesto https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Lui0fwcYrvwGnDzSR1BYGDGip9GB5TiF/view?usp=sharing, which is circulated today in connection with World Customs Day 2026 and aligns closely with the World Customs Organization theme, Customs protecting society through vigilance and commitment. It reflects the perspective of economic operators and other stakeholders on how customs policy and implementation can effectively reinforce secure borders, fair competition, and societal protection, while responding to structural challenges such as the growth of e commerce, the need for data driven risk management, and increasing geopolitical complexity.

The document reaffirms core principles that we believe are essential for the success of current and future customs reforms, including harmonised enforcement, legal clarity, proportionality, interoperable digital systems, and risk based controls. Particular attention is given to high volume trade flows, with the objective of strengthening compliance without penalising legitimate operators or creating unintended distortions within the Single Market.

The Vilnius Manifesto is intended as a constructive contribution to the ongoing dialogue between institutions, customs authorities, and stakeholders. It does not seek to replace institutional processes or positions, but rather to support informed discussion and effective implementation by highlighting areas of broad cross stakeholder convergence.

Happy International Customs Day.
Lithuanian Customs Practitioners Association