What term describes the national departments responsible for controlling items entering and leaving the country?

The term that describes the national departments responsible for controlling items entering and leaving the country is "Customs." Customs authorities play a critical role in regulating and facilitating international trade and ensuring that goods comply with a country's laws and regulations. They are responsible for the assessment and collection of tariffs, enforcement of trade laws, and monitoring the import and export of goods to protect public health and safety, as well as national security.

Customs is specifically designed to handle the complexities of cross-border transactions, ensuring that proper duties are paid and that regulations regarding prohibited or restricted items are enforced. This encompasses both the physical inspection of goods at borders and the bureaucratic process involved in trade transactions. Other terms, such as Trade Compliance and Import Regulation, are related to the broader context of trade laws but do not specifically refer to the governmental bodies that enforce these regulations. Global Commerce refers to the overall international trading system but does not pinpoint the specific departments involved in the regulation of goods entering and leaving a country.