The Union Customs Code aims to maintain a proper balance between customs controls and facilitation of legitimate trade, to enable the EU to prosper and develop competitive businesses.
Source: DG Taxation and Customs Union
Business operators
To be able to carry out commercial activities related to importing and exporting goods (in the role of a consignee, declarant or representative), business operators have to register in the Economic Operators Identification and Registration system (EORI).
At the end of 2023 there were over 8.7 million entities registered in the EORI system (8.3 million in 2022).
Authorised Economic Operators (AEO)
An important instrument for trade facilitation is the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) regime. AEO status provides for a more favorable treatment in the areas of customs simplification and facilitation. AEOs are playing an increasingly important role in the supply chain in terms of the number of goods declared.
Simplifications
Simplifications such as the simplified procedure or authorised warehouses enable business operators to perform customs procedures faster and more efficiently reducing administrative burden and costs.
Paperless environment
The electronic customs systems are crucial for the operation of the Customs Union. The replacement of paper based customs procedures with EU wide electronic procedures has created a more efficient and modern customs environment.
Nowadays nearly all customs declarations are submitted electronically. With the ongoing implementation of the Union Customs Code electronic systems, EU traders will be able to use customs electronic systems for other elements of their business operations.