Based in Lille, France, the EU will establish a single customs agency
27 March 16:02
The Council of the EU and the European Parliament have agreed to revise the EU’s customs rules, introducing new tools for monitoring goods, collecting customs duties, and processing data. This was reported by the Council of the EU, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
The reform introduces new innovative tools to facilitate global trade, collect customs duties more efficiently, and strengthen controls over non-compliant, dangerous, or substandard goods. Overall, the new system will ensure more reliable controls without placing an excessive burden on authorities and traders, the EU explained
“Today’s agreement marks the largest reform since the Customs Union was established in 1968. The new Union Customs Code will allow us to address the numerous challenges posed by new geopolitical realities while ensuring economic security. Once adopted, this modern toolkit will promote trade and ensure proper customs collection in a simplified manner and with the necessary legal certainty,” said Makis Keravnos, Cyprus’s Minister of Finance and President of the Council of the EU.
The co-legislators agreed on legislation to:
– creating a single, state-of-the-art EU customs data hub: a single central platform for importers and exporters to interact with customs in the EU, enhancing data integrity, tracking, and customs control;
– introducing enhanced customs simplifications for the most reliable traders, saving them time and money;
– introducing a new EU-wide fee for processing goods contained in small parcels imported into the EU;
– the creation of a new decentralized customs authority—the EU Customs Authority—which will oversee the EU Customs Data Hub while supporting the risk management activities of national customs authorities.
Under the terms of the agreement, the data center will begin covering e-commerce goods as early as July 1, 2028, and the phased implementation will cover all goods movements by March 1, 2034.
A new decentralized customs authority, the EU Customs Agency, will be established in the French city of Lille to oversee the EU Customs Data Center while supporting the risk management activities of national customs authorities. With the support of the EU customs authority, member states will have access to the same data in real time and will be able to pool information for a faster, more consistent, and more effective response to risks.
The Council and the European Parliament will continue working on finalizing the technical elements of the package before its final adoption by the co-legislators, the statement said.
