Customs Strengthens Regional Ties at 35th ASEAN Directors-General Meeting
To strengthen regional customs cooperation in supporting ASEAN economic integration, Indonesian Customs attended The 35th ASEAN Directors General of Customs Meeting held from 2–4 June 2026 in Cambodia. The meeting served as a forum for Directors General of Customs across ASEAN.
“Customs’ participation in this meeting demonstrates our active role in international forums to enhance cooperation and synergy between member states,” said the Head of the Sub-directorate of Public Relations and Community Services at Customs, Budi Prasetiyo.
In addition to Indonesia, the meeting was attended by representatives from all ASEAN member states, ASEAN dialogue partners (Australia, China, Japan, and Korea), the World Customs Organization (WCO), and private sector representatives such as the US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC), EU-ASEAN Business Council (EUABC), and the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ABAC).
Strategic issues discussed during the meeting included the progress of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Blueprint implementation, the ASEAN Single Window (ASW), the ASEAN Customs Transit System (ACTS), the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) programme, customs reform and modernisation, and the strengthening of cooperation with dialogue partners and the private sector.
Based on these discussions, the meeting results indicated that the direction of ASEAN customs development is increasingly prioritising the digitalisation of services, data interoperability, the strengthening of risk-based supervision, trade facilitation, and closer collaboration between governments and the business sector.
“The forum’s outcome, in the form of information exchange between countries, is expected to strengthen Indonesia’s customs supervision in preventing the entry of illegal and dangerous goods that could harm the global community through digital and data-driven methods,” said Budi.
During the meeting, Indonesia was once again entrusted as the Chair of the Technical Sub-Working Group on Classification (TSWGC) for the 2026–2027 period. Furthermore, Indonesia played an active role in drafting ASEAN goods classification standards to support a trade system that is more harmonised and adaptive to international trade developments.
In the field of enforcement, Indonesia supports the implementation of Operation Pacific Shield III, which focuses on tackling the smuggling of narcotics and psychotropic substances through air routes, including passengers, express shipments, and cross-border mail.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Customs also held side meetings with the EUABC and USABC to strengthen dialogue with business actors, listen to feedback from service users, and reaffirm Customs’ commitment to supporting trade facilitation and improving the quality of customs services.
Budi revealed that the strengthening of ASEAN’s digital customs systems supports trade services that are increasingly fast, transparent, and efficient for businesses. “Through this meeting, Customs continues to utilise ASEAN cooperation to strengthen customs services and supervision that are more modern, effective, and responsive to the needs of the business world,” he concluded.