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

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 347/209

The multi-annual action programme for customs which applied before 2014 has significantly contributed to facilitating and enhancing cooperation between customs authorities within the Union. Many of the activities in the customs area are of a cross-border nature, involving and affecting all Member States, and therefore they cannot be effectively and efficiently delivered by individual Member States. A customs programme at Union level, implemented by the Commission, offers Member States a Union framework to develop those cooperation activities, which is more cost–efficient than if each Member State were to set up individual cooperation frameworks on a bilateral or multilateral basis. It is therefore appropriate to ensure the continuation of the previous multi-annual action programme for customs by establishing a new programme in the same area, the Customs 2020 programme ('the Programme').

The activities under the Programme, namely the European Information Systems, the joint actions for customs officials and the common training initiatives, will contribute to the realisation of the Europe 2020 Strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth by strengthening the functioning of the internal market. In providing a framework for activities which strive for more efficient and modernised customs authorities, strengthen the competitiveness of businesses, promote employment and rationalise and coordinate the Member States' actions to protect their financial and economic interests and those of the Union, the Programme will actively strengthen the functioning of the customs union, so that businesses and citizens can benefit from the full potential of the internal market and of global trade.

In order to support the process of accession and association by third countries, the Programme should be open to the participation of acceding and candidate countries as well as potential candidates and partner countries of the European Neighbourhood Policy if certain conditions are fulfilled. Considering the increasing interconnectivity of the world economy, the Programme should continue to provide the possibility of involving external experts, such as officials of third countries, representatives of international organisations or economic operators in certain activities. The participation of external experts is considered to be essential whenever the objectives of a programme cannot be achieved without the contribution of those experts. The setting up of the European External Action Service under the authority of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy facilitates policy coordination and coherence in an area which is a relevant component of the Union's external strategies and actions, both on a bilateral and multilateral basis.

The objectives of the Programme should take into account the problems and challenges identified for customs in the next decade. The Programme should continue to play a role in vital areas such as the coherent implementation of Union law in the field of customs and related matters. Moreover, the Programme should focus on protecting the financial and economic...