World Bank’s survey: Finland is logistically at the top of the league - Finnish Customs is one of the front-runners
Finnish Customs achieved excellent results in a survey measuring logistics performance, carried out by the World Bank. Finnish Customs has been active in developing its operations and has supported foreign trade operators in the changing environment. The World Bank’s report presents the latest view on logistics performance across 139 countries.
In the survey, Finnish Customs was ranked in joint fourth place in the efficiency of customs operations and customs clearance in 139 countries. This result constitutes a clear improvement compared with the 2018 survey, which ranked us in 8th place. In the overall logistics performance index of 139 countries Finland ranks second, whereas in 2018 the score was 10th place. Measuring logistics performance and understanding its determinants are now more important than ever against a background of major changes and disruptions in global markets since 2018.
- This global survey shows the high level of Finland’s competitiveness in this sector. Finland is an island, but, as has been proven, the framework exists to provide the country with good potential to succeed in the international trade. This success is, in particular, a tribute to the high quality infrastructure, highly developed skills of the operators, ability to stick to the schedule and to have committed cooperation between authorities and with all the customers, says Mr Hannu Mäkinen, Director General of Finnish Customs.
- Finnish Customs has a strong focus on customer cooperation, digital services that are as easy to use as possible, undisrupted enforcement, and accessibility and advice. A lot has happened since the previous World Bank’s survey, including Brexit, the removal of the VAT exemption for low value consignments, the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. Despite the drastic changes, we have managed to improve our ranking, Mr Mäkinen adds.
Reliability of the supply chain is vital in world trade, in which modernisation of customs administrations, new technologies and decisions benefiting the society have a significant role. Viable, fast and reliable logistics benefit Finland’s economic growth and employment.
The COVID-19 pandemic, as is well known, caused massive shipping and air freight disruptions. Furthermore, there were strict corona restrictions in many countries. In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, energy and food prices increased because of discontinued exports from Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine. Russia’s and Belarus’s trade and transport connections with Europe were largely cut off, including flights over Russian airspace and container rail services between Europe and Asia through Russia.
In the survey, the logistics performance of 139 countries was analysed through six components: 1) the efficiency of customs and border management clearance, 2) the quality of trade- and transport-related infrastructure, 3) the ease of arranging competitively priced international shipments, 4) the competence and quality of logistics services, 5) The ability to track and trace consignments, and 6) the frequency with which shipments reach consignees within the scheduled or expected delivery time.
The survey was answered by 652 logistics professionals in 115 countries. The 2023 Logistics Performance Index (LPI) survey was conducted from September 6 to November 5, 2022.
The six best - performing countries in terms of efficiency of customs and border management clearance in 2023:
Score (1-5) Country
- 4.2 Singapore
- 4.1 Denmark
- 4.1 Switzerland
- 4.0 Finland
- 4.0 Canada
- 4.0 Sweden
Publication: The Logistics Performance Index and Its Indicators (pdf)