EU proposes single customs window to revitalize customs procedures
There are many European projects to simplify trade between countries, one of them is the single window for customs.
In 2015, the project to create a single window for customs was launched with nine EU member states and met with great success. The EU therefore wanted to extend this project to all member states. The Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) sought to provide a centralized solution and a single entry point for customs declarations in order to reduce the administrative burden.
The Customs Union, while an essential part of a well-functioning internal market, generates approximately 39.7 million Customs declarations each year. As a result, this represents a heavy workload for traders who have to provide additional documents on top of the basic customs declaration.
The objective of this project is to establish a centralized digital solution for the exchange of electronic information between customs, other government authorities and economic operators. This regulation would provide a legal basis for a modern and electronic customs environment, ensuring security and safety and reducing the existing administrative burden. It would promote cooperation between EU Member States and the European Commission, and ensure equal treatment of all economic operators in the fight against fraudulent activities.
In its proposal, the European Commission has provided for working groups composed of representatives of the Commission and the national coordinators of the Member States. These working groups should serve as a forum to discuss progress in the advancement of the project at the country level. Meetings should be led by the European Commission and held regularly, at least twice a year.
This effort to centralize Customs procedures on the part of the EU is in keeping with the spirit of Customs Bridge’s mission to simplify Customs, more info at www.customsbridge.fr
