A review of the European Commission's plans for an electronic customs environment

Abstract

Success in international trade is an essential component in the current European Union (EU) 'Lisbon agenda' which aims to make the EU 'the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world'. The performance of customs administrations is very much a determining factor in the success or failure of the EU strategy, but there are reasons to believe that the current vision of creating a paperless customs environment in Europe is insufficiently ambitious, flawed at a practical level, and inadequately resourced and managed. The extension and rationalisation of reform plans need to be advanced by taking full account of the nature of modern supply chains or, more importantly, their potential for further development. Further, there is a need to advance the processes for increasing the political priority and momentum afforded to the customs reform project. Without significant remodelling the current blueprint for EU customs in the 21st century will fail to deliver key Lisbon agenda goals and will risk surrendering Europe's competitive edge in international trade to nations that have more aggressive customs strategies.