Joint Industry and Trade Statement on the EU Customs Reform

The European Commission’s Political Guidelines and strategic priorities, informed by the Draghi report, highlight the imperative for Europe to enhance both its competitiveness and its security.Both are intertwined at the border. Getting EU Customs Reform right has never been so important or so urgent. The EU customs reform should ensure that the external border facilitates trade and functions as a conduit for competitiveness while preventing economic inefficiencies. Smart customs reform must increase the EU’s security and protect its citizens without compromising legitimate trade. These goals can only be achieved with a customs union that is modern, acting as one and in partnership with the private sector.

In order to have the new customs legislation work effectively for both customs as well as for trade, the signatories of the document have made a series of recommendations.