customs agency

alt=A customs officer in Amsterdam Airport Schiphol checks the luggage of an incoming traveler.|thumb|260x260px|A [[customs officer in Amsterdam Airport Schiphol checks the luggage of an incoming traveler.]] thumb|Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals|Vienna Convention road sign for customs

Customs is an authority or agency in a country responsible for collecting tariffs and for controlling the flow of goods, including animals, transports, personal effects, and hazardous items, into and out of a country. Traditionally, customs has been considered as the fiscal subject that charges customs duties (i.e. tariffs) and other taxes on import and export. In recent decades, the views on the functions of customs have considerably expanded and now covers three basic issues: taxation, security, and trade facilitation.