Customs risk management

Key points:

The EESC believes that:

• customs authorities should work together, but also with other government authorities in the framework of the EU's customs rules and the cooperation mechanisms provided for by EU law;

• it is necessary to harmonise implementation of other policies and make it coherent and to share information, particularly by making official data interoperable;

• the EU should take as a basis the rules of the Risk Management Compendium and other standards of the World Customs Organisation (WCO);

• it is imperative to clearly define the arrangements for carrying out future controls;

• when the strategy is defined, the EU must take into account the distinctive features of customs practice in the Member States — such as the size of the relevant trade flows, volumes and practices;

The EESC stresses:

• the importance of other social stakeholders involved in the strategy and the role they can play, calls for greater visibility for pilot projects on the ground and stresses the need to boost innovation.

Other relevant EESC opinions:

• Risk management / security of the supply chain (CESE 1653/2013 - INT/681)
• State of the Customs Union (CESE 998/2013 – INT/677)
• Union Customs Code (recast) (CESE 1297/2012 – INT/640)

For more information please contact the INT Section Secretariat