WRITTEN QUESTION E-0616/96 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (13 March 1996)

Subject: Customs 2000

The proposal for a European Parliament and Council Decision adopting an action programme for Community customs (Customs 2000) (COM(95)0119 ((OJ C 346, 23.12.1995, p. 4. ))), states that the coordinated introduction of computerized and compatible customs clearance procedures at national and European levels is a basic requirement of the European economy. At present, all the Member States are involved in establishing computerized systems that are compatible with those developed by their respective economic environments. In view of the customs union and obligations in respect of uniform application of customs regulations (customs code and implementing regulation) and related legislation (e.g. relating to foreign trade, laws on origin, protection of intellectual property, etc.) throughout the Community, the establishment of a customs communication system is essential at European level.

With a view to effectively combating fraud, the Commission is requested to establish a coordinated plan between the financial authorities of the Member States and services responsible for combating customs fraud.

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission (6 May 1996)

The computerization of customs procedures is a priority for the Commission. It feels it can boost greater administrative efficiency, increase the speed and security of customs operations and guarantee improved fraud prevention through the use of computerized risk-analysis systems.

The level of computerization achieved by the customs administrations varies considerably from one Member State to another. It is therefore necessary to strive for greater compatibility and coordination between the various systems. Facilitating the electronic exchange of information between Member States will lay the foundations for the implementation of a Community strategy on the computerization of customs procedures.

With this goal in mind, the Commission and the Member States are studying ways in which customs administrations could, within as short a time span as possible, achieve a level of computerization that would allow traders who offer guarantees sufficient to enable the effective control of their customs procedures, to make computerized customs declarations, whatever the customs procedure or system being used. In this way, companies that operate in more than one Member State can avoid the cost of having to install separate computer systems.

A distinction should be made between the computer systems used for customs procedures and those systems used by national governments and the Commission to combat fraud. In this respect, it should be made clear that the internal organization of the national financial and customs authorities is the responsibility of each Member State. Furthermore, the exchange of information between these authorities should be effected with due regard for their competence in matters of data collection, transmission and processing.

The CCN/CSI (Common Communication Network/Common System Interface) is being developed to facilitate electronic communication and exchange of information between the Member States' customs and financial authorities and between these bodies and the Commission.

With regard to cooperation between the customs and agricultural authorities, the amended proposal ((OJ L C 80, 17.3.1994. )) to replace Council Regulation (EEC) No 1468/81 ((OJ L 144, 2.6.1981. )) will provide for both the exchange of information needed to combat fraud and the setting up of the CIS database (Customs Information System). The Commission and the Member States can already use the SCENT message handling system (System for Customs Enforcement), which allows users to exchange information and to access a number of common databases.