RESOLUTION OF THE EC-EFTA JOINT COMMITTEE ON COMMON TRANSIT

of 2 December 1999

on the reform of the common transit system

(2000/C 42/04)

THE JOINT COMMITTEE,

Having regard to the Convention of 20 May 1987 on a common transit procedure(1),

Whereas:

(1) The common transit procedure has developed, for both economic operators and customs administations, into an instrument of commercial policy essential for facilitating and managing the huge growth of international trade in goods. This system, under which goods can be dispatched between the Community customs territory and EFTA countries with a minimum of formalities and with customs duties and national charges suspended, has proved its worth.

(2) The constant increase in the volume of traffic arising from the process of globalisation and the opening of borders with the countries of central and eastern Europe and the planned extension of the common transit system to further countries in that part of Europe mean that this system will become increasingly important in future. The customs administrations of the countries concerned currently process nearly 20 million transit operations each year on the basis of single administrative documents.

(3) The common transit procedure has been fraudulently exploited by international criminal organisations, in particular in operations involving sensitive and heavily taxed goods (cigarettes, alcohol, meat, milk powder, sugar, etc.) sent by road.

(4) Problems with fraud led to the early adoption of special measures that have already made economic operators and customs administrations considerably more alert to the risks and have helped curb abuse of the common transit system.

(5) In view of the deficiencies that have in practice occurred in applying the system because of the large number of transit operations, transit refom must be continued vigorously despite the measures already taken.

(6) The proposals made by the Commission on the basis of its action plan for transit in Europe(2) are the main bases for the measures needed to ensure more efficient conduct of transit procedures.

(7) In the light of previous experience in implementing the action plan, and taking into consideration the adoption by the Joint Committee of Decisions Nos 1/99(3) and 2/99(4) on the part of the transit reform concerning NCTS, further efforts aimed at legislative and operational measures and computerisation of the transit system should be spelled out in detail, so that further practical progress can be made as quickly as possible in all countries concerned.

(8) In the interests of both economic operators and customs administrations, reform of the common transit system should as far as possible go hand in hand with reform of the Community transit procedure.

(9) Changes in the legal requirements of these very different spheres are to be based on a thorough analysis of the actual situation and new conditions determined by the practical experience acquired. The general rule should be that the quality of the new provisions should receive first priority.

(10) The operational measures put in hand require further consistent joint efforts if progress is to made towards the aim set out in the action plan.

(11) Computerisation of the common transit system should be achieved as soon as possible in all countries concerned,

CONFIRMS

that the common transit procedure is vital to the achievement of an efficient economic structure in Europe and that it must therefore be ensured that it functions effectively in a secure and controllable environment;

NOTES WITH SATISFACTION

that considerable progress has been made, particularly in the legislative area, in the reform of the common transit system. In this context, the Joint Committee takes note of the work of the Working Group regarding draft Decisions No 1/2000 (common transit) and No 1/2000 (simplification of formalities in trade goods) implementing further important parts of the reform should be finished soon;

UNDERLINES

the necessity of adopting the said draft Decisions as quickly as possible, if necessary by means of the written procedure, in order to ensure their application within the scheduled deadlines;

AGREES

- that reform of the common transit system should ensure its continuation as an instrument to facilitate cross-border goods traffic as well as, in order to continue the fight against and prevention of fraud, a sufficiently secure system of suspending duties;

- that reform of the common transit system must proceed, taking due consideration of the views of business, by means of legislative and harmonised operational measures together with rapid computerisation throughout all countries where common transit applies, with a view to achieving uniform application of the rules by economic operators and customs administrations;

- that the necessary legislative steps and uniform operational measures, making for harmonised application of the relevant provisions by economic operators and customs administrations, should be taken in accordance with the appropriate degree of urgency;

INVITES

- the Working Group, taking into account the above mentioned aims of reform of the common transit system, to proceed apace in partnership with the customs administrations of the countries concerned and in dialogue with business, giving priority to measures for uniform application of the transit rules and timely introduction of the necessary legislative changes;

- the countries concerned, for their part, to contribute actively to the reform of the common transit system, taking due account of the views of business, and accordingly to:

- continue to give priority to transit reform,

- take appropriate operational measures to ensure the proper functioning of the common transit system;

- take the necessary steps to ensure rapid computerisation of the common transit system.

(1) OJ L 226, 13.8.1987, p. 2.

(2) Commission communication to the European Parliament and the Council entitled "Action plan for transit in Europe: A new customs policy" (OJ C 176, 10.6.1997, p. 3).

(3) OJ L 65, 12.3.1999, p. 50.

(4) OJ L 119, 7.5.1999, p. 53.