Dutch customs attachés

At present, four Dutch customs attachés are active in Brasilia, Beijing, Singapore and Moscow. In addition, there is a Customs Council in Brussels, which represents Dutch interests in the EU, and a Financial Council in Washington. The latter maintains contact with the IMF and the World Bank and partly represents Dutch interests in the customs field.

The attachés, who are dispatched for three to four years, operate from the Dutch embassy in the host country. There, they work mainly with the economic department and with attachés from other departments, such as agriculture and the police. They advise both the Dutch and local customs authorities and assist in drawing up and implementing mutual assistance treaties and MoUs (Memorandums of Understanding), and in organising customs training courses. In addition, they contribute to the prevention of fraud and work with other enforcement agencies, including the Public Prosecution Service. By working together with the host country to establish smarter customs procedures, the attachés also indirectly support the Dutch business community.