At the meeting of the Council of Economics and Finance Ministers of the European Union (ECOFIN) in Brussels on 8 May political agreement was achieved on the so-called e-Customs Decision. This lays the foundation for the introduction of Europe-wide interoperable and easily accessible electronic customs systems. The next step – after the common position is adopted – will be for the European Parliament to deal with the draft in a second reading.
The e-Customs Decision must be viewed in close connection with the Modernised Customs Code, about which the Member States and the EU Commission are still negotiating. While the Modernised Customs Code is supposed to create the legal prerequisites for e-Customs, the e-Customs Decision is aimed at the practical implementation.
The Decision names as objectives of the e-Customs initiative inter alia the simplification of customs procedures, the reduction of compliance and administrative costs, shortening processing times and a smooth flow of data between all those involved.
Crucial projects are the creation of computerised, Europe-wide interoperable systems for import and export, a system for identifying and recording traders, a system for the authorisation and administration of authorised economic operators, joint customs portals as sources of information for business and trade as well as the establishment of an integrated customs tariff environment as a connection to other import and export related systems at the EU Commission and in the Member States.
