As part of the Customs Service's contribution to environmental protection, the Tax and Customs Academy successfully organized the first Action on "Green Customs: protection of wild fauna and native flora - Cites", in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Energy and the support of the General Directorate of Customs and Excise Duty on October 4, 2022.

It is a collaboration of the Tax and Customs Academy with the leading institution in the protection of the environment, whose expertise promotes the training of customs officials in facilitating the legal and preventing the illegal trade of wild species of fauna and native flora.

The Action was also carried out in cooperation with the Department of Customs Representatives, Approved Economic Bodies and Prohibitions-Restrictions of the Directorate of Customs Procedures, as well as with the Department of Prosecution, Smuggling and Organized Crime of the Directorate of Strategy for Customs Controls and Violations of IAPR. The participating customs officials as well as the representatives of the Ministry of Environment and Energy had the opportunity to interact with experts on these issues, to ask questions and to resolve their questions on the specific issues that will be key axes in the future. At the same time, the opportunity was given to develop a communication network between the participants, which will establish the cooperation between the involved bodies in the effort to effectively support their environmental work.

The Action was welcomed by the Head of the General Directorate of Customs and Excise Duty and Vice-President of the European Region of the International Customs Organization, Mr. Konstantinos Mourtidis, as well as the Head of the General Directorate of Forests and Forest Environment of the General Secretariat of Forests of the Ministry of Environment and Energy, Mr. Evangelos Goudoulfas. At the same time, both the Heads of Departments of Customs Procedures, through their targeted, analytical and informative suggestions, had a key role in the success of the Action in question. and of the Directorate of Strategy for Customs Controls and Violations of the Directorate of Customs Procedures and Excise Duty respectively, Mr. Bandeka and Raptis, as well as Mr. Giakoumis (Head of Directorate), Alexiou (Head of Department) and Constantakopoulos (speaker) from the Ministry of Environment and Energy.

Commenting on the Action, the Head of the Tax and Customs Academy declared that "it is a special pleasure for our Academy to host educational actions on sensitive issues, such as environmental protection. Today we aim to strengthen and highlight the role of our Customs in protecting against the illegal trade of wildlife and native flora as well as establishing and developing cooperation between our organization and the competent services of the Ministry of Environment and Energy. As part of extroversion, the desire of the Tax and Customs Academy is the cooperation and the organization of Actions highlighting future developments in environmental protection issues. Last but not least, I would like to warmly thank all those involved for the successful implementation of today's meeting, with particular reference to the support of the Heads of the involved General Directorates of IAPR and the Ministry of Environment and Energy as well as the contribution of all involved Directorates and their employees".