Tasks and Structure of Customs: Duties, Tax Collection, Consumer Protection, and Crime Prevention in Germany

• The customs authority (Zoll) is responsible for collecting customs duties and taxes, protecting consumers, uncovering and preventing crimes, and ensuring fairness and justice in the labor market.
• Customs duties are levied on goods imported from non-EU countries, with revenues going to the EU budget; no duties are charged between EU member states.
• The customs administration also collects excise taxes, transport taxes, and import VAT.
• Customs controls protect consumers by enforcing regulations on imports, exports, and transit, combating smuggling, product piracy, and international crime.
• The customs investigation service and the Customs Criminal Office play a key role in uncovering and preventing cross-border crimes, especially organized crime.

Source: bundesfinanzministerium.de

Note that this post was (partially) written with the help of AI. It is always useful to review the original source material, and where needed to obtain (local) advice from a specialist.

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