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The European Commission adopted last week a legal act to create a simpler, more modern and integrated EU customs system to support cross-border trade and provide for more EU-wide cooperation in customs matters. It builds on the Union Customs Code adopted in 2013, which sets out detailed rules for twenty-first century customs processes.
Customs services play a central role in policing the EU's external borders and in facilitating trade. The customs union is the operational arm of much of the EU's commercial policy measures. In addition, a growing range of government agencies call on customs to enforce their policies at the border. EU customs handle 16% of world trade, or over two billion tons of goods a year with a value of EUR 3,400 billion.
The commission has been working for several years on a major overhaul of customs rules in the EU. The basic regulations were changed in 2013. Detailed acts must subsequently be adopted so that the new rules can be applied as of May 1, 2016.
