The trade of goods across the borders of the European Union customs territory cannot be properly managed only through unilateral action by the Union. The customs authorities in the Union can accomplish their missions, as defined in Article 3 UCC, only if their action in the Union is supported by cooperation with the customs authorities of third countries. That international cooperation in customs matters is part of the Union customs and trade policy.<\/p>\n
The EU ‘customs legislation’ includes international agreements containing customs provisions, insofar as they are applicable in the Union.<\/p>\n
Main objectives and scope of the EU customs legislation<\/strong><\/p>\n Improving trade facilitation worldwide<\/em><\/p>\n The objective is to simplify and facilitate procedures for reliable traders so as to increase the speed of trade.<\/p>\n By implementing international commitments \u2013 like e.g. the WTO, the Agreement on Trade Facilitation, the WCO or bilateral or regional Free Trade Agreements \u2013 the concerned parties can pursue this objective, resulting in:<\/p>\n This objective is even better achieved through the development of customs cooperation between parties, based on the definition and use of common standards (e.g. the use of the WCO Harmonized System or Data Model), exchange of information, mutual recognition of trusted traders programmes for facilitation purposes.<\/p>\n Ensuring safety and security of the EU<\/em><\/p>\n Ensuring the safety and security of the European Union, the economic operators, the citizens and the environment in the European Union is another main objective of the EU customs legislation. This objective is being realized in cooperation with other law enforcement authorities and through international commitments by each Party on the security of the supply chain, like the ones taken by WCO Members to implement the SAFE Framework of Standards or bilaterally through customs agreements on security and the mutual recognition for security purposes of trusted traders programmes, of risk management techniques and of control results.<\/p>\n Protecting the financial interests of the EU<\/em><\/p>\n Customs cooperation between Parties is fundamental for protecting the financial interests of the EU and its Member States. It consists in mutual administrative assistance against fraud and may include joint initiatives and control operations to ensure compliance and a better protection of the revenue of the Parties.<\/p>\n Instruments <\/strong><\/p>\n International cooperation in customs matters between the EU and third countries is set up and implemented through various international forums and instruments and the implementation of international customs provisions.<\/p>\n Customs matters are dealt with in various international organisations and forums (like WTO, WCO, UNECE or ASEM), under the auspices of which multilateral agreements are concluded and managed.<\/p>\n Customs provisions may be contained in, and international customs cooperation organised through, international instruments with a regional or bilateral scope.<\/p>\n\n