The European Commission has presented its proposals for the reform of the EU's customs union, measures that focus on digital transformation, with the aim of making Less onerous customs procedures by replacing declarations traditional with a smarter approach focused on data-driven import surveillance. In particular, it is a new EU Customs Authority called to preside over a European Digital Customs Centre that will act as engine of the new system.

The reform, presented yesterday by the Commission, provides that progressively the new data center replaces the infrastructure customs informatics existing in the EU Member States, saving up to two billion euros per year by operating costs. The aim is also to ensure that the companies wishing to bring goods into the European Union can record all information on products and chains Procurement in a single online environment, that of the new European Digital Customs Centre. At the same time, companies will have to interact with a single portal for the presentation of customs information and will only need to enter data once for multiple shipments. In cases where operational processes and supply chains are completely transparent, more reliable traders (including specifically group "Trust & Check") will be able to put their goods moving in the EU without any customs intervention active. This new category is intended to strengthen the already existing of authorised economic operators (AEOs) for reliable operators.

The reform also provides that, at the same time, the national customs have the tools and resources available to need to properly assess and block imports that pose real risks for the EU, its citizens and its economy.

"The customs union of the EU - recalled the Commissioner European Economic Minister, Paolo Gentiloni, on the occasion of the Presentation of the reform - was at the center of European integration over the last 55 years. In response to New challenges and threats, today we equip ourselves with another tool to accelerate trade flows and support economic recovery. This far-reaching reform will reduce bureaucracy and Compliance costs for businesses, will create more transparency and certainty for EU citizens carrying out online shopping and will introduce simpler processes and innovative for authorities'.

'Global challenges such as climate change, e-commerce and illicit trade - added the Executive Vice-President of the Commission, Valdis Dombrovskis - need a global response and more customs procedures modern and efficient all over the world. For this reason our package also calls on the WTO and the WCOO to make progress in this direction'.

Particular attention was paid to the e-commerce segment. The European Commission has explained that, with the reform, online platforms will be assigned a central role in ensuring that goods sold online in the EU comply with all customs obligations and this will be an important innovation compared to the current customs system that assigns responsibility to the individual consumer and individual carriers. In particular, the platforms will be responsible for ensuring that customs duties and VAT is paid at the time of purchase, so consumers they will no longer have to face hidden costs or requests for Documents not foreseen at the time of arrival of the package. With online platforms such as official importers, consumers of the EU will be able to be reassured that all tariffs are and that their purchases are safe and in line with the EU environmental, ethical and safety standards. The Commission, In addition, he pointed out that the reform also eliminates the current threshold, widely exploited by fraudsters, according to the which goods with a value of less than EUR 150 are exempt from duty Customs. In fact, currently up to 65% of these parcels that enter the EU is underestimated in order to avoid incur customs duties on imports.

The Commission expects that the new specific regime for e-commerce will bring additional customs revenue of the order of one billion euros per year.

The Commission's legislative proposals will now be forwarded the European Parliament and the Council of the EU for consent and the European Economic and Social Committee for consultation. According to the proposals made by the Commission, the digital centre should become operational, for e-commerce shipments, to starting from 2028; the others will follow (on a voluntary basis) importers in 2032. Trust & Check operators will be able to also clear all their imports with the authorities customs of the Member State in which they are established, irrespective of where goods enter the EU. A review implemented in 2035 consider extending this possibility to all commercial operators when the centre becomes mandatory from 2038.