Brussels, 30/11/2005 (Agence Europe) - On 30 November, the European Commission adopted a proposal aiming to modernise the Community customs code and one further proposal to “create a new customs environment to respond to the challenges of globalisation”, Commissioner László Kovács, who is in charge of Taxation and the Customs Union, told the press. “I am proud of this, because they will contribute to the achievement of the Lisbon objectives”, he said.
To bring the Community customs code up to date, the European Commission has proposed a regulation. Its proposal consists of simplifying legislation and administrative procedures, for the customs authorities and operators alike, in order to facilitate customs transactions and bring the costs down. This will involve, amongst other things, a rationalisation of the structures, a reduction and simplification of the rules and a reform of the import and export procedures. Furthermore, recourse to single authorisations- providing for an authorisation issued in one Member State to be valid throughout the EU- will be promoted. The proposal also includes the modifications contained within the regulation adopted at the beginning of the year to reinforce the security and safety of goods crossing Community borders (see EUROPE 8899).
The Commission has also proposed a decision providing for a number of measures designed to make the electronic Customs systems of the Member States compatible with each other and to create a single and shared computer portal. This will help to improve exchanges of information between the customs authorities, or to bring in an electronic risk analysis. Of these measures, the electronic Customs declaration will be obligatory by 2009, which will lead to "greater ease, speed, a follow-up of information and less paper", said Commissioner Kovács. With the single interface system, the customs authorities of each Member State will, furthermore, be able to access all information recorded in the Community. An operator working in 25 Member States will, therefore, no longer need to register 25 times, but will just have to register once. Currently, each Member State has its own computerised registration system. From the point of view of the European Commission, the objective of the proposal is not to "replace the national registration systems", but to "create a system for the collection and registration of data, which is identical in each Member State".
As well as the improved competitiveness of businesses operating in Europe and a reinforcement of security, this new customs environment may bring about savings of 2.5 billion EUR a year, the Commission adds.
These two proposals are to be submitted to the European Parliament and the Council (co-decision procedure), and the Commission hopes that they will enter into force in 2009 and 2012 respectively. It is worth noting that the Community customs code dates back to 1994 and establishes a legal framework based on the application of common provisions within the customs union.