Customs reform package

Background

The EU customs system needs to be overhauled to adjust to the new realities we are facing today, in particular modern supply chains and the expansion of e-commerce. Still very fragmented, fifty years after the EU Customs Union was established and ten years on from the introduction of the Union Customs Code, failure to reform the system could spell the end of Europe's competitive advantage in international trade over nations with more assertive customs strategies.

The understaffing trend needs to be reversed, state-of-the-art technological equipment acquired to cover the new areas of customs work, which has expanded from traditional revenue collection to new tasks such as enforcing bans and restrictions imposed by complex legislation governing the sector.

 

Key points

The Committee suggests the EU should:

  • attract experts in fields like environmental protection, communication, customer support and social security to work in customs. It should promote customs careers to younger generations and offer training programmes in all Member States;
  • adopt a clear strategy to incorporate AI into customs systems while prioritising ethical considerations throughout the process;
  • drop the proposal to consider an application to be denied if a customs authority fails to communicate its decision within the set deadlines;
  • provide EU companies with unrestricted access to all laws, regulations, guidelines and advice that are linked to customs operations. It also proposes a dedicated role for the EU Customs Authority (EUCA) in supporting SMEs.

Link to the full opinion

 

Additional information

EESC section responsible: Single Market, Production and Consumption (INT)

Opinion type: mandatory Commission referral

Rapporteur: Anastasis YIAPANIS  (Cyprus-Civil Society Organisations)

Reference: COM(2023) 258 final 2023/0156 CODCOM(2023) 258 final 2023/0156 COD

Date of adoption by section: 04/09/2023

Result of the vote: 62 votes to none with no abstentions

Date of adoption by the EESC plenary session: 20 September 2023

Result of the vote: adopted by 229 votes to 1 with 3 abstentions

 

Contacts

Daniela Marangoni

Press officer

Tel.: +32 2 546 8422 | Mob: +32 475 99 94 32

email: daniela.marangoni@eesc.europa.eu

 

Silvia Staffa

Policy officer

Tel.: +32 2 546 8378

email: silvia.staffa@eesc.europa.eu

 

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