Imagine if customs inspection efficiency doubled—how much faster would import-export trade flows become? How significantly could business operational costs be reduced? The World Customs Organization's (WCO) Technical Experts Group on Non-Intrusive Inspection (TEG-NII) is working to turn this vision into reality by harnessing global expertise to enhance customs oversight while maximizing efficiency through advanced technologies.
On November 4-5, 2021, TEG-NII held its eighth meeting in a hybrid format, attracting over 140 participants from 68 member customs administrations and five NII equipment vendors—a record attendance. This marked WCO's first hybrid working group meeting since the pandemic began, signaling accelerated digital transformation in global customs operations.
Key Focus Areas: Standardization and Innovation
WCO's Pranab Kumar Das, Director of Compliance and Facilitation, emphasized in his opening remarks the growing importance of big data and analytics in customs operations, particularly highlighting NII technology's crucial role in maintaining social distancing and supply chain continuity during the pandemic.
The meeting centered on two primary agendas: the Unified File Format (UFF) development plan and other NII-related matters.
Unified File Format: Creating a Common Language for Customs Inspection
The UFF initiative addresses a persistent challenge: incompatible data formats from different inspection equipment manufacturers that hinder unified analysis. This standard aims to establish a universal data format enabling different NII systems to "speak the same language," thereby improving data interoperability and analytical efficiency.
TEG-NII reported significant progress in deploying UFF 2.0 for large cargo NII systems, particularly regarding internet and fiber optic connectivity. The group endorsed a draft use case document that will soon be published on the WCO member website as part of the SAFE Package, serving as guidance for members considering pilot projects to test UFF 2.0 implementation.
Key Benefits of UFF 2.0:
- Standardized data: Eliminates information silos and facilitates data sharing
- Enhanced efficiency: Streamlines processes and reduces inspection times
- Cost reduction: Minimizes data conversion expenses and redundant investments
- Innovation foundation: Enables AI and big data analytics applications
Next Steps: UFF Development Phase Three
TEG-NII discussed criteria for expanding vendor participation in Phase Three of UFF development, including:
- Manufacturers and system integrators with substantial industry presence
- Commitment to UFF integration and its objectives
- Equipment actively used by WCO members
- International sales distribution
- Willingness to dedicate resources to standard development
The program will continue focusing exclusively on large, high-capacity NII systems. WCO will soon invite members to join a technical expert steering group to handle UFF modifications and extensions, including developing APIs for radiation portal monitor data integration and establishing an image repository for testing.
Advancing NII Technology Applications
The meeting also addressed several NII-related technological developments based on reports from WCO members and private sector participants:
1. Radiation and Nuclear Detection: Enhanced awareness and detection capabilities for radioactive materials.
2. Data Analytics: Applications include risk assessment, target identification, fraud detection, and compliance evaluation through analysis of trade data patterns.
3. Research and Innovation: Exploring emerging technologies to develop more effective inspection tools.
4. Artificial Intelligence: Applications range from automated X-ray image analysis to risk prediction and intelligent document processing.
5. Centralized Image Analysis: Developing shared platforms to improve resource utilization.
6. Vehicle Inspection Systems: Establishing technical requirements for X-ray systems examining automobiles and small vehicles.
The meeting concluded with broad recognition of TEG-NII's role in helping customs administrations keep pace with technological advancements while balancing trade facilitation and security imperatives.