Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Union Customs Code and the European Union Customs Authority, and repealing Regulation (EU) No 952/2013’
More than 50 years after the establishment of the EU Customs Union and 10 years after the introduction of the Union Customs Code, the system remains fragmented. Member States (MS) need to allocate extra resources for customs reform to safeguard Europe’s competitive advantage in international trade. Specialized expertise for customs in non-traditional domains such as environmental protection, communication, customer support, and social security should be promoted among the younger generation. AI should be integrated into customs systems with ethical considerations. Information campaigns are needed to raise awareness of the role and impact of customs activities on EU citizens. Legally binding interpretations of the EU’s sanctions on Russia and Belarus are needed to assist entrepreneurs in compliance. Applications should be considered accepted if any customs authority misses set deadlines for communicating decisions. The authority responsible for assessing compliance with conditions should be clarified. The composition, remit, and budgetary impact of the crisis response cell should be clarified. A drafting error in Article 201(1) should be corrected. Improved accessibility to the authorized economic operator (AEO) program for small businesses and greater simplifications for AEO status-holders are vital. The EU Customs Authority (EUCA) should develop applications for connecting to the EU Data Hub with precise access rules and confidentiality conditions. A common data analytics system should be set up within the EU Customs Data Hub. The establishment of the EUCA is supported, and user engagement and collaboration with civil society organizations are crucial. EU companies should have unrestricted access to customs-related information. The EUCA should have a dedicated role in supporting SMEs. The designated member of the EUCA Management Board appointed by the European Parliament should have voting and equal rights. The EUCA should become operational two years after the entry into force of this Regulation. Shorter deadlines are needed for traders to utilize the EU Customs Data Hub.
Source eur-lex.europa.eu
