State of the Customs Union

EESC opinion: State of the Customs Union

Key points:

The EESC:

  • concurs with the broad thrust of the Commission communication;
  • supports a solid customs union that can make a useful contribution to competitiveness and the smooth operation of the internal market in the European Union;
  • calls on the Commission to take full account of the research and the internal and external assessments of the workings of the customs union that have been carried out;
  • attaches great value to a customs policy that is implemented on the basis of uniform, transparent, effective, efficient and simplified procedures, ensuring that the rights and security of industry and European consumers, as well as intellectual property, can be protected;
  • feels that it is essential that customs services' operating capacities can be tailored to national trade flows;
  • would have liked the communication to provide greater detail on practical short- and medium-term measures;
  • urges that particular attention be paid to the fact that investment is needed to enable customs services to tackle fraud and crime in a more cost-effective manner and also to reduce delays in trade flows.

Other relevant EESC opinions:

For more information please contact the INT Section Secretariat