Brussels, 29/05/2008 (Agence Europe) - Speaking before the European Parliament committee on the internal market on Tuesday 27 May, Commissioner Kovács, responsible for the customs union, took stock of work underway on European customs policy and spoke of the possibility of a “Schengen for goods” to facilitate trade between the European Union and Switzerland. This concept, prompted by European measures in favour of the free movement of goods, would mean that goods entering, leaving or crossing the EU through Switzerland would be able to circulate freely without border controls. Mr Kovács told MEPs that such an offer had just been put by the European Commission to the Swiss authorities. The matter will most likely be discussed on Friday during a specific negotiation round between Europeans and Swiss.
In July 2009, new customs rules will take effect in the EU to strengthen safety and security checks at EU external borders (see EUROPE 9562 and 9588).
An electronic system would be requested from economic operators, who would have to announce their plans for transporting goods in advance: one hour in advance for road transport, two hours for rail, or sometimes 24 hours. Companies will also have to inform customs authorities about at least 30 kinds of security linked data. Given Switzerland's specific geographical situation, these new rules will be difficult to implement. They could increase administrative costs and distort trade flows between the EU and Switzerland. This is why the European Commission has a mandate for negotiating a specific agreement with the country on safety and security inspections of goods. One possibility would consist of the EU recognising the equivalence of controls operated by Switzerland and those contained in European legislation.
The economic stakes are such that BusinessEurope wrote to Commissioner Kovacs last week, expressing the concerns of European employers about the impact of the future revised customs code on bilateral trade relations with EU third country neighbours. Philippe de Buck, BusinessEurope Secretary General, stated: “The proposed introduction of new safety and security measures would constitute serious obstacles in our bilateral trading relations without considerable security benefits, but still causing traffic hold-ups at the borders and significantly higher administrative costs for both companies and customs administrations inside and outside the EU”. He added that trade relations between the EU and Switzerland but also those with Norway, would be particularly affected by the new rules, whilst customs standards in force in these third countries are, according to the organisation, “similar” to those of the EU. In 2006, 23,000 lorries and 4,400 freight wagons crossed the EU/Swiss border every day.