In the context of World Customs Day 2026 (26 January 2026), UNEP OzonAction spotlighted Customs Officers from several countries and highlighted their role in enforcing the Montreal Protocol, linking border controls to the protection of the ozone layer and climate action.
Customs Officers Juan Alonso Pérez Labra (Chile), Ahmad Shahir Bin Idris (Malaysia), Andrzej Świstowski (Poland), and Abdou M. Jeng (The Gambia) shared testimonies on joining their national Customs administrations with the aim of serving their countries while contributing to environmental protection, and on the importance of Multilateral Environmental Agreements in their work.
Aligned with the 2026 theme, “Customs protecting society through vigilance and commitment,” UNEP OzonAction, in cooperation with the World Customs Organization (WCO), convened the online event “Customs Protecting Society Through Vigilance and Commitment in the Context of the Montreal Protocol: Strengthening Partnerships for Environmental Protection” on 10 February 2026. The event focused on Customs enforcement of licensing, quota and monitoring systems under the Montreal Protocol, with updates from the WCO on global enforcement efforts, outcomes from Operation DEMETER XI, and trends observed through mechanisms such as iPIC.
The event also included contributions from Uganda Customs on national achievements in controlling trade in Montreal Protocol regulated substances, a representative of Kuwait’s National Ozone and Climate Change Committee with recommendations on collaboration between Customs and environmental authorities amid the phase-out of HCFCs and phase-down on HFCs, and Eswatini’s National Ozone Unit highlighting inter-agency cooperation.
Operation DEMETER XI results were presented as further evidence of Customs’ role in combating illegal trade in ozone depleting substances (ODS), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and equipment containing or relying on these substances. With 120 Customs administrations participating, the operation reported increasingly sophisticated smuggling tactics, including misdeclared refrigerant cylinders and improperly documented imports of refrigeration and air conditioning equipment reliant on controlled substances, as preparations advance for Operation DEMETER XII.
