The first Meeting of the ASEM Directors-General (DG) and Commissioners of Customs was held on 21 June 1996 in Shenzhen, China. The Meeting followed up on the agreement made between ASEM Leaders during the 1st ASEM Summit of Heads of State and Government (Bangkok, 1-2 March 1996).

ASEM Customs bureaus are tasked to undertake facilitation and liberalization measures involving the simplification and harmonization of Customs procedures, to deal with illicit drug trafficking and to consider the development of closer co-operation in these areas among the Customs authorities in Asia and Europe.