EU Customs Certificate of Recognition

Introduction

What is the EU Customs Certificate of Recognition? 

The EU Customs Certificate of Recognition is an official acknowledgment for Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes, or specific modules within them, that focus on customs education. Since 2019, the European Commission has been awarding this certificate to programmes that meet high-quality standards and align with EU customs competency requirements.

This certificate serves as a benchmark for academic excellence in customs education, ensuring that graduates are well-prepared to handle the challenges of modern customs operations in both public and private sectors.

Why is Customs Education Important?

Customs operations play a vital role in protecting the EU’s interests and facilitating legitimate trade. However, modern challenges such as security threats, international conflicts, migration, and rapid digitalisation have made customs operations more complex. To address these challenges, the EU needs highly skilled customs professionals who can adapt to evolving demands.

Customs education is essential for building a strong community of professionals who can:

• Safeguard the EU’s borders and interests
• Facilitate smooth and legitimate trade
• Stay updated with the latest developments in international trade and customs operations

By promoting cutting-edge customs education, the EU ensures that customs professionals are equipped with both strategic and operational skills, enabling them to excel in their roles.

Benefits

What are the benefits of the EU Customs Certificate of Recognition? 

The certificate offers significant advantages for academic institutions, students, and the EU Customs Union as a whole.

For Academic Institutions:

• Universities, business schools, and colleges can use the official EU certificate and EU logo to promote their programmes. They will be included in a publicly available list on this website.
• The certificate helps institutions benchmarking their programmes against recognised EU standards, ensuring they meet the needs of the customs sector.
• It enhances the reputation of the institution as a provider of high-quality customs education.

For Students:

• The certificate assures students that the programme will provide them with the skills for a successful customs career.
• Graduates of recognised programmes are highly valued by employers in both public and private sectors.
• An EU-recognised degree improves career prospects and provides a competitive edge in the job market. 

For the EU Customs Union:

• The certificate promotes the development of consistent, high-quality customs education across the EU.
• It strengthens the performance of customs operations by ensuring that professionals are well-trained and competent.
• It fosters a unified approach to customs education, benefiting the entire EU community

Recognised Programmes

Which programmes have already been recognised? 

View list of EU Recognised Customs Academic Programmes

Testimonials

Application process and renewal

Who Can Apply for the Certificate? 

The certificate is open to universities, business schools, and colleges in Europe that offer:

• Customs-specific Bachelor’s or Master’s programmes

When to apply? What is the process for a successful application or renewal?

Overview of the application process

You can find a schema of the application process on the EU Customs Certificate of Recognition Process

Application process for a new application

What criteria must successful applications meet?

• Be accredited in line with the Bologna Process, typically provided by governmental or officially authorised accreditation bodies. Non-accredited academic programmes must demonstrate that the accreditation process is ongoing;
• Be customs-specific;
• Be in line with the EU RTP for Academic Customs Education. 

Interested? Then complete the following forms:

1.  Academic Programme Outline, Form 2
2. the Competencies Addressed by the Programme, Form 3 (A-D), depending on the type of the academic programme:
   1. Form 3A for Master’s programmes
   2. Form 3B for Bachelor’s programmes
   3. Form 3C for modules within a Master’s programmes
   4. Form 3D for modules within a Bachelor’s programmes
3. the Deviations and Motivation, Form 4.
4. Executive Summary, Form 5

How to submit the application?

Send the Application Forms and accompanying documentation (e.g. accreditation documentation, course catalogue etc.) to EU-CertificateOfRecognitionec [dot] europa [dot] eu (EU-CertificateOfRecognition[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu) 

Where can applicants find support?

The European Commission has developed the following: 

• a step-by-step Application Guide
• a pre-filled Sample Application template with extensive examples for all fields 

For detailed information, please see the EU Customs Certificate of Recognition Process 

How are the applications assessed?

All applications are assessed by an international Assessment Board composed of training experts, academics and customs professionals under the lead and supervision of the European Commission. 

Applications that may be conditionally approved by the European Commission are required to go through the verification phase. The applicant must take the required measures to meet the conditions set by the European Commission.

How to renew a certificate?

Overview of the renewal process

Application process for the renewal of an existing certificate

The certificate is valid for three years. Providers must renew it to maintain their recognition. How to do that is explained below:

Submit an Executive Summary and supporting documents

• The training provider must prepare and submit an Executive Summary.
• This document should describe:
• Any changes made to the training programme since the certificate was first issued.
• If no changes were made, this should also be clearly stated.
• Include any supporting documents that provide evidence of these changes or confirm the absence of changes

When to start the renewal process?

Submit your application six months before the certificate expires.

CustCompEU

What are the EU Competency Framework and EU Reference Training Programmes?

The European Commission has developed tools to ensure consistency and quality in customs education across the EU:

• EU Customs Competency Framework (CustCompEU): This framework defines the ideal competency profiles for customs professionals in both public and private sectors. It serves as a guide for developing high-quality training programmes

  More about CustCompEU 

• EU Reference Training Programmes (RTP): These programmes provide a detailed list of training areas and competencies for customs education:
  • Customs Master’s programmes
  • Customs Bachelor’s programmes
  • Customs modules within a Master’s programme
  • Customs modules within a Bachelor’s programme 

They are regularly updated, with the latest revision completed in 2023.

Academic programmes that align with the EU RTP and meet the required standards can apply for the EU Customs Certificate of Recognition This initiative is supported by the EU Customs Programme. 

Contact

Whom to contact for more information? 

EU Certificate of Recognition Secretariat: EU-CertificateOfRecognitionec [dot] europa [dot] eu (EU-CertificateOfRecognition[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu)  

For questions about the EU, contact Europe Direct: 00 800 6789 1011*

*The information given is free, as are most calls (though some operators, phone boxes or hotels may charge you).