As well as FEPORT, the federation of terminal operators European private ports, including the Association of European Ports strongly supports the amendments proposed in the framework of the revision of the EU Customs Code, which is being examined by the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) of the European Parliament, so that the time limit for temporary storage of goods is maintained at 90 days ( of 30 January 2024). "For European ports," he explained the European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) in a statement - the main The first concern about the Commission's proposal is the drastic reduction of the period of temporary detention from 90 at three days. ESPO therefore warmly welcomes a number of amendments by Members of the European Parliament aimed at restore the 90-day period, which now seems to be reflected in the compromises on the table of the Committee on the Internal Market and the Consumer Protection'.

ESPO pointed out that 'the temporary custody of 90 plays a crucial role in ensuring the fluidity of the flows of goods through ports, particularly when other supply chain actors do not provide information in a timely manner data necessary to place the goods under a customs procedure. The Temporary storage - specified the Association of European Ports - it is also essential in the context of transhipment, i.e. the transfer of containers to an intermediate destination where they are transshipped between two ocean-going vessels and then shipped to another final destination, which includes non-EU ports. In fact "Temporary Custody" Status Must Be Seen as an appropriate "administrative waiting room" and for obtain the necessary information/data or, in the case of transhipment, call to pick up the cargo and/or wait for the ship to continue your journey to the final destination of the goods. A reduced period of temporary custody," ESPO explained would leave an unacceptable amount of goods without customs procedures, forcing terminals and shipping companies to be responsible for submitting the goods to a customs procedure. For European ports, a reduction in of the current period of temporary detention, as initially proposed by the European Commission, is neither acceptable or practicable'.

"We hope so," said Isabelle Ryckbost, Secretary of State ESPO - that Parliament continues to support this and, at a later stage, also the Council. This gives us would allow us to give our full support to the proposal and the ambition to take the Customs Union to the next level. In the current geopolitical and geoeconomic context, a functioning Effective customs management is more important than ever."