EU Calls for Stronger Customs Enforcement, Cooperation
EU member states need to strengthen customs controls and cooperation, particularly to deal with the "rapid growth of e-commerce," the European Commission said in a new report this week.
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Imported products, including those bought online, don't always comply with EU rules on "safety, security, or environmental standards," the commission said. Although data in the report shows that more products are being stopped by customs and refused entry to the EU because they don't comply with EU rules or are deemed dangerous, a rise in e-commerce-driven imports has "outpaced the rate at which control measures were implemented," the commission said. It added that the "effectiveness and quality of existing controls require improvement to address emerging challenges."
The commission's recently proposed customs reform package, which would create a decentralized customs agency and a single EU-wide online customs platform (see 2506270013), will help strengthen member states' customs enforcement, the commission said. The proposal remains under negotiation between the European Parliament and Council.