Regulation 2013/1294 - Action programme for customs in the EU for the period 2014-2020 (Customs 2020) - Main contents

Action programme for customs in the European Union for the period 2014-20 (Customs 2020)

This is a regulation setting out a programme to support and modernise the EU’s customs union by stepping up cooperation between customs authorities.

ACT

Regulation (EU) No 1294/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 establishing an action programme for customs in the European Union for the period 2014-2020 (Customs 2020) and repealing Decision624/2007/EC

SUMMARY

Customs 2020 is an EU cooperation programme running for the period 2014 to 2020 and building on earlier multiannual action programmes for customs. Its overall objective is to support the functioning and modernisation of the customs union through cooperation between participating countries, their customs authorities and their officials.

Specifically, it aims to support customs authorities to protect the financial and economic interests of the EU and EU countries, including combating fraud and protecting intellectual property rights. It also aims to support the customs authorities in their efforts to increase safety and security, to protect citizens and the environment, as well as to improve the administrative capacity and strengthen the competitiveness of European businesses.

How the programme works and what it can do

Customs 2020 will be guided by annual work programmes adopted by the European Commission. Its actions are funded through grants, public procurement contracts or reimbursement of external experts’ costs.

These actions are for officials working in customs administrations in EU countries, but are also open to their counterparts in candidate and potential candidate countries that have joined the programme, and those in European neighbourhood policy partner countries under certain conditions.

The programme’s operational objectives include:

developing, improving, operating and supporting European information systems for customs;

identifying, developing, sharing and applying best working practices and administrative procedures;

reinforcing customs officials’ skills and competences;

improving cooperation between customs authorities and international organisations, non-EU countries, other governmental authorities, including EU and national market surveillance authorities, as well as businesses and their representative organisations.

Budget and eligible actions

The 2014 to 2020 programme has a budget of €523 million. Examples of eligible actions include:

seminars, workshops and project groups;

working visits to enable officials to acquire or increase their expertise or knowledge in customs matters;

monitoring activities carried out by teams made up of Commission and national officials to analyse customs practices, to identify implementation difficulties and, where appropriate, to make suggestions for the adaptation of EU rules and working methods;

administrative and information technology capacity-building activities and joint training initiatives;

studies.

Customs 2020 activities are expected to contribute to the achievement of the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, especially the digital agenda for Europe.

REFERENCES

last update 26.06.2014

This summary has been adopted from EUR-Lex.