Customs in the twenty–first century has a role that expands far beyond the traditional role of revenue collection, and includes trade facilitation and border protection. It is now required to guard against both importation and exportation of dangerous and counterfeit products which pose serious threat not only to the economy, but also to the society in general. With its firmly built legislative base coupled with strategically developed implementation mechanism, the Australian Customs Services (ACS) plays a crucial role in ensuring border protection of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) laws. Conformity with the provisions and standards set out by the apex trade bodies in the world is a major strength of the Australian Customs in its ongoing battle against infringement of IPR laws. The Australian Customs maintains a close relationship with other border agencies and the business community with a view to interdicting and disrupting the illicit trade in goods that infringe IPR.
Global Trade and Customs Journal