European customs laboratories : experience you can rely on.
Date: 2010-03-01
Institutions: Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union
Subjects: consumer protection, customs fraud, customs inspection, fight against crime, illicit trade, research body, scientific cooperation

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European Commission —  Taxation and Customs Union

European customs laboratories:
experience you can rely on

Foreword  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  

3

The food on our plate, the drink in our glass, the fuel 
in our cars, the shoes on our feet: welcome to the work 
of the European customs laboratories  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  

Customs laboratories - the scientiﬁ c arm of customs   .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  

Going behind the scenes: the way of the sample  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  

Facilitating trade and securing revenues  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  

Safeguarding health and protecting consumers   .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  

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Helping the environment  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .   11

Promoting security and combating terrorism   .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       12

Moving with the times: equipment and new technologies    .  .   13

Going mobile   .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .   14

The view from a lab ....  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .   15

... and from a lab user   .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .   16

The beneﬁ ts of European coordination  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .   17

Map showing the locations of customs laboratories 
in the European Union Member States    .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .   20

Contacting your laboratory  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .   21

Photos on cover : 
© Margreet De Groot – iStockphoto.com and
© Steve McAlister – GettyImages

Luxembourg: 
Publications Oﬃ  ce of the European Union, 2010

KP-30-09-191-EN-C
ISBN 978-92-79-13631-3 
doi: 10.2778/13049

© European Union, 2010

Reproduction is authorised provided the source is 
acknowledged.

Information on customs laboratories:

http://ec.europa.eu/eu_customs_laboratories

European Commission’s Directorate General 

for Taxation and Customs Union (DG TAXUD):

http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/index_en.htm

European Commission

European customs laboratories: experience you can rely on

Luxembourg: Publications Oﬃ  ce of the European Union

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to +352 2929-42758. 

FOREWORD

Walter Deﬀ  aa 
Director-General
European Commission
Directorate General Taxation 
and Customs Union

As European Commission Director-General responsible for taxation and customs, I am delighted to 
present the European customs laboratories to you. They combine two complementary roles: firstly, 
they support the work of customs and other services thanks to their scientific expertise; secondly, by 
coordinating their work at EU level – through the European Commission – they help customs to more 
effectively tackle cross-border challenges for the benefit of European citizens and businesses.

Today’s EU customs and border services face similar problems and challenges. Alongside their traditional 
task of collecting customs duties, administrations have to ensure that legitimate trade is facilitated, while 
maintaining security in the international supply chain. Customs’ work in this area, together with action 
to protect intellectual property rights and increase the fight against counterfeiting and piracy, also helps 
fight terrorism and organised crime and protect EU citizens. 

European customs laboratories are an important tool for customs authorities. Their work is crucial 
in traditional areas of customs, excise and agriculture policy, such as analysis to determine tariff 
classification and the level of duties and other taxes. However, their role has also evolved over time 
with changes in the trade environment. Consequently, customs laboratories now play an important 
part in other customs activities, such as antifraud operations, determining the authenticity and origin 
of products, detecting illegal imports like narcotics and drug precursors, protecting consumers against 
dangerous goods or contaminated food, and safeguarding the environment and endangered species. 

Customs laboratories work together at European level through the Group of European Customs 
Laboratories (GCL). This gives added value to their work, helping them to coordinate their activities 
and share their expertise. For example, one GCL action involves developing a European database on 
analytical methods, providing laboratories with an easily accessible and up-to-date catalogue of 
analysis methods for customs purposes. Another action works on ensuring uniform interpretation of 
scientific analysis quality requirements and developing a European handbook on sampling procedures. 
The scientific knowledge of laboratories is very important, and their participation in EU committees, in 
particular in the field of tariff nomenclature, is also very valuable. 

So, if you have a consignment that needs analysis or investigation, the best thing you can do is to 
contact your country’s customs laboratories. They are at your disposal, and, as this brochure highlights, 
they have the experience and expertise to assist you with a wide range of customs tasks.

The food on our plate, the drink in our glass, the fuel in our cars, 
the shoes on our feet: welcome to the work of the 
European customs laboratories 

whether it is through establishing the correct classiﬁ cation of 
goods for revenue purposes or through protecting people 
against unsafe or dangerous products. The customs laboratories 
are an essential element in ensuring border integrity.  

The European customs laboratories play an essential role in 
the ﬁ ght against illegal traﬃ  cking and fraud by providing the 
scientiﬁ c expertise needed to enforce European regulations 
in all matters relating to customs tariﬀ , classiﬁ cation and 
nomenclature. While some were established relatively recently, 
most of the laboratories involved in customs and excise work in 
the European Union have a long history. The oldest were created 
in the mid-19th century – starting in 1848 with the customs 
laboratory in Vienna – and the majority of the laboratories came 
into being before the mid-20th century. Many therefore have at 
least a century of experience in customs and excise work.

Over time the role of customs laboratories has evolved with 
changes in the trade environment and it is no longer just 
about classic customs and excise issues. Determining the 
authenticity and origin of products, detecting illegal imports 
like narcotics and drug precursors, protecting consumers against 
dangerous goods, safeguarding the environment and helping to 
combat terrorism are all challenges that customs, and customs 
laboratories, are increasingly required to face in the modern era. 
Customs is, after all, the ideal place to control and intercept all 
kinds of goods that are on the move.

The services provided by customs laboratories are often crucial 
in dealing with “spectacular” cases that come up from time 
to time – be it fraud cases of great ﬁ nancial signiﬁ cance or 
emerging public health and safety risks. Their work, however, 
goes on behind the scenes on a daily basis, as one of the unseen 
faces of customs and border management. Yet this does not 
make the task any less important. By supporting the work of 
customs, the customs laboratories help to protect society, 

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European customs laboratories: experience you can rely on

Customs laboratories - the scientiﬁ c arm of customs

There is of course no such thing as a typical customs laboratory. 
No one laboratory is exactly the same as the next in terms 
of their number of staﬀ , their remit and tasks, the range of 
equipment at their disposal, their accredited analytical methods 
and the particular specialties that they may oﬀ er. Nonetheless, 
at their core, the services they provide are essentially similar: the 
customs laboratories, proﬁ led here below, are the scientiﬁ c arm 
of customs work.

Numbers: labs and staﬀ 
There are around 80 customs laboratories in the European Union 
spread across all EU Member States except Luxembourg, which 
does not have a laboratory. Many Member States have just one 
central laboratory, while others have a number of laboratories 
working as a network within the country. Around two and a half 
thousand people work in the laboratories, ranging from just a 
handful of staﬀ  in the smallest EU countries up to several hundred 
people in Member States with more sizeable laboratory operations.

Tasks: customs and excise, and more
While the precise balance can change over time, customs and 
excise-related tasks still represent the main area of activity of 
the customs laboratories, accounting on average for about 
three quarters of their work. The average hides wide variations 
between the Member States. In some countries almost 100% of 
the laboratories’ activities are dedicated to customs and excise 
issues, while in several countries customs and excise tasks are 
not the most signiﬁ cant area, in some cases accounting for 
a very small proportion of the work. Along with traditional 
customs and excise tasks like tariﬀ  nomenclature, tax provisions 
and the Common Agricultural Policy, customs laboratories deal 
with a wide range of areas including narcotics and psychotropic 

drugs, product quality and fraud detection, consumer health, 
environment and safety issues (see also pp. 8-12).

Distribution of laboratory activities between economic, 
legal and protection issues

Environment
1,54%

Consumer health
3,87%

Safety
0,96%

Other
r
%
6,71%

Product quality 
fraud detection
6,72%

Narcotics and 
psychotropic drugs
7,17%

Common 
Agricultural Policy
10,43%

Tariﬀ  Nomenclature
Tar
37,4
37,45% 

Tax provisions
Tax
25,
25,33%

Activities: samples analysis, expertise and training
Concerning the type of work performed by the customs 
laboratories, analysis of samples is their main activity in nearly 
all EU Member States, accounting for around three quarters of 
their work. Each country typically analyses several thousand 
samples every year, in many diﬀ erent categories, with the precise 
number again varying over time and from country to country 
- from hundreds of samples a year in some Member States 
to tens of thousands in others. As well as analysis of samples, 
the laboratories oﬀ er expertise in a broader sense, including 
participation in committees. Most are also involved to some 
extent in the training of customs oﬃ  cials.

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Main laboratory activities

Other
6%

Training
3%

Expertise 
(including 
participations 
in committees)
16%

Analyses of 
samples 
75%

Type of samples analysed

Ores and base metals
1,42%

Elaborate matters (electronic, toys, …)
1,34%

Cooperation outside customs
The customs laboratories do not exist in isolation. As well as 
working on a daily basis with customs oﬃ  ces, there are many 
other bodies with which the laboratories may cooperate, 
including universities, government ministries, private companies, 
standardisation bodies, police and veterinary services. The 
customs laboratories also maintain valuable cooperation 
among themselves through the Group of European Customs 
Laboratories (see pp. 17-20).

LABS IN ACTION: SUPPORT FOR THE SCIENTISTS OF THE FUTURE 
LABS IN ACTION: SUPPORT FOR THE SCIENTISTS OF THE FUTURE 
The Finnish Customs Laboratory, for example, cooperates
The Finnish Customs Laboratory, for example, cooperates 
with local universities and technical colleges by taking 
with local universities and technical colleges by taking
students for practical training. It also supervises students 
students for practical training. It also supervises students
who do research in the laboratory as part of their Bachelors 
who do research in the laboratory as part of their Bachelors
or Masters degrees (typically method development and 
or Masters degrees (typically method development and
validation projects).
validation projects).

Wood / paper
0,53%

Tobacco
0,41%

Plastic and rubber
1,47%
Textile / Leathers and skins
2,53%

Chemicals and 
pharmaceuticals
5,33%

Alcoholic 
beverages
8,57%

Other products 
14,19%

ood
Food
19,3%

Fuels and petroleum 
Fue
pro
products
21,71%

Narcotics and 
psychotropic
drugs / Chemical
precursors 
23,19% 

Get in touch!
Whatever the diﬀ erences between the customs laboratories, 
the bottom line is that they all provide a wealth of scientiﬁ c 
experience and expertise. So, if you have a consignment that 
needs expert analysis, the best thing you can do is to contact 
your customs laboratory (see p. 21-22 for the contact details) 
and they will be able to advise you on how to proceed. 

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European customs laboratories: experience you can rely on

Going behind the scenes: the way of the sample

The sample sent for analysis at the customs laboratory by the 
customs authority – or sometimes other bodies like government 
departments and private companies – is at the heart of the 
whole process of cooperation between client/customer and 
customs laboratory. 

At every step of the way taken by the sample – from recording 
its arrival to completing the scientiﬁ c analysis and storing it for 
future reference – the customs laboratories work to produce 
results that are based on quality, eﬃ  ciency and reliability.

LABS IN ACTION: COMPUTERISED RECORDS
LABS IN ACTION: COMPUTERISED RECORDS
The Austrian Customs Laboratory, for example, has a computer 
The Austrian Customs Laboratory, for example, has a computer 
system allowing the customs oﬃ  cer to ﬁ ll in an electronic 
system allowing the customs oﬃ  cer to ﬁ ll in an electronic 
form to request a clariﬁ cation of the customs classiﬁ cation 
form to request a clariﬁ cation of the customs classiﬁ cation 
and add images of the product concerned.  The same system 
and add images of the product concerned.  The same system 
is visible to the laboratory, saving time and telling staﬀ  what 
is visible to the laboratory, saving time and telling staﬀ  what 
samples are on their way before they have physically arrived 
samples are on their way before they have physically arrived 
on the premises. The customs oﬃ  cer can later see the 
on the premises. The customs oﬃ  cer can later see the 
outcome of the analysis on screen. 
outcome of the analysis on screen. 

The process typically starts at the EU’s external border - at roads, 
ports and airports. If a consignment arrives that you as a customs 
oﬃ  cer want to check, you can always call your customs laboratory 
(see p. 21-22) and they will be happy to help. Taking the sample is 
of course an important part of the process: while this is generally 
performed by the customs oﬃ  cers themselves, the customs 
laboratories often provide some broader training or advice about 
how to take samples, especially when it comes to potentially 
hazardous substances or chemicals, for instance.

Customs laboratories routinely accept almost any conceivable 
product, except for live animals, from sweets to toys to 
pharmaceuticals to fuel and metal bars. Arriving by post or by 
car (usually as a pair of samples – one for immediate analysis 
and one for control purposes), the sample will be registered in 
the system and assigned to the relevant part of the laboratory, 
accompanied by an identifying paper/ID number/barcode 
for traceability reasons. The laboratory treats the request for 
analysis as promptly as possible, conducting its tests, reaching an 
opinion on the proposed customs classiﬁ cation (or other issue) 
and making this available to customs (or other client/customer). 
Samples are also placed in storage for a time in case they are 
needed for further analysis. The way samples are stored is 
important because diﬀ erent items need to be stored at diﬀ erent 
temperatures and levels of humidity, etc.

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Facilitating trade and securing revenues

The traditional tasks in customs and excise are still at the heart 
of the work of most of the customs laboratories in the EU. This 
notably includes classiﬁ cation of goods with reference to the 
customs nomenclature, which is crucial for applying duties 
in agricultural and industrial trade as well as for matters such 
as antidumping procedures and export refunds. Customs 
laboratories may also advise on Binding Tariﬀ  Information 
requests.

Customs-related work is a complex business for the laboratories, 
detecting nuances in the make-up of an item that would be 
impossible to discern with the untrained eye: Is that “poultry” or 
“seasoned chicken”? Heating oil or diesel oil? What is the shoe 
made of exactly – leather or plastic? And is this batch of rice one 
of the ﬁ ve kinds that can be called “basmati”? Food products, 
such as biscuits, can be particularly complex because of the 
number of diﬀ erent ingredients that might be involved.

The laboratories are there to facilitate trade in legal goods 
while ensuring the ﬁ scal integrity of the customs system 
and the appropriate collection of revenues. In many cases 
products can move across the EU border while a sample is 
checked and, if necessary, additional duties can be imposed 
(or, indeed, monies refunded) at a later stage without having 
had to hold up the consignment. Although the laboratory may 
not necessarily be aware of the precise impact, its analysis 
can have signiﬁ cant - potentially multi-million euro - ﬁ nancial 
implications.

The Czech Customs Technical Laboratory, for example, 
operates a small customs-criminalistic unit, which is involved 
in the Kimberley Process Certiﬁ cation Scheme, designed to 
certify the origin of rough diamonds. The aim is to prevent 
“blood diamonds” from entering the mainstream rough 
diamond market, and to assure consumers that by purchasing 
diamonds they are not ﬁ nancing wars or human rights abuses. 
This laboratory deals also with other gemstones and jewels, 
mainly in order to establish their customs value.

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Traditional customs and excise work may not be the only area 
of activity that a laboratory is involved in. Depending on the 
particular remit of the laboratory in question, it may also have 
a part to play in safeguarding health and protecting consumers 
(pp.9-10), helping the environment (p.11), and promoting security 
and combating terrorism (p.12).

8

 
 
 
Safeguarding health and protecting consumers

European customs laboratories: experience you can rely on

The customs laboratories that are tasked with health and 
consumer protection work as well as customs and excise issues 
are involved in tackling a range of potential threats to Europeans’ 
wellbeing. These include traﬃ  cking in illegal narcotics (whether 
carried on person or in cargo) and trade in counterfeit (and 
potentially dangerous) goods such as fake pharmaceutical 
products. Laboratories may also examine, for example, imported 
food that might be contaminated – checks on radioactivity in 
mushrooms from Eastern Europe, for instance – and toys that 
might not be safe to play with (see p. 10). This helps ensure 
that imported goods meet the EU’s food and consumer safety 
standards.

Customs laboratories in the EU have helped to detect many 
products over the years which, on a greater or lesser scale, could 
pose a health and safety risk to the general public. To name 
just a few examples of the sorts of problems which have been 
reported: food contact materials that contained dangerous or 
unauthorised chemicals; sunﬂ ower oil and corn oil contaminated 
with mineral oils; food that contained illegal additives (such as 
certain preservatives) or additives exceeding the limits deﬁ ned in 
EU legislation; plastic toys for children under 3 years of age with 
high concentrations of phthalates; and shoes that contained 
excessive amounts of lead and phthalates.

Problems detected or conﬁ rmed by laboratories can range from 
minor isolated incidents to wider emergencies. Examples of 
recent consumer protection scares include the case of melamine 
in baby food imported from China, where French laboratories 
adapted relevant detection methods which they were then able 
to share with their European counterparts. Laboratory analyses 

can ultimately lead to unsafe products being withdrawn and 
destroyed. If there is suﬃ  cient cause for concern, the analyses 
can form the basis for issuing EU-wide alerts using RASFF (the 
Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed) or RAPEX (the EU rapid 
alert system for all dangerous consumer products except food, 
pharmaceutical and medical devices).

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Cocaine  in  rum  barrels  -  German  Customs  discovered  three  black 
plastic  bags  ﬁ lled  with  an  amber  liquid  containing  cocaine,  smug-
gled in 5-litre rum barrels. The amount of cocaine hydrochloride was 
about 40% i.e. the barrels contained around 2 kg cocaine.

Cocaine in suitcases - German Customs found that suitcases 
with plastic sheets and clothing were being used for smug-
gling  cocaine.  Flexible  plastic  sheets  were  found  between 
the casing of the suitcase and the inner layer. Those plastic 
sheets  as  well  as  the  clothing  in  the  suitcase  were  soaked 
with  cocaine.  Up  to  2.5  kg  cocaine  hydrochloride  was  de-
tected in the suitcases.

9

          
 
 
 
 
 
 
DANGEROUS GOODS: NO TOYING AROUND
DANGEROUS GOODS: NO TOYING AROUND

Having a child choke on part of a toy or being injured as it 
Having a child choke on part of a toy or being injured as it 
plays are among every parent’s worst nightmares. Given 
plays are among every parent’s worst nightmares. Given 
the large volume of toy products imported into the 
the large volume of toy products imported into the 
European Union every year - not least in the run-up to 
European Union every year - not least in the run-up to 
the festive season - toy safety is an area that impacts on 
the festive season - toy safety is an area that impacts on 
customs laboratories across the EU and is an important 
customs laboratories across the EU and is an important 
example of laboratories’ contribution to safeguarding 
example of laboratories’ contribution to safeguarding 
health and protecting consumers.
health and protecting consumers.

At the customs laboratory in Lille (one of 11 laboratories in 
At the customs laboratory in Lille (one of 11 laboratories in 
France), toy safety is a specialty. Lille receives hundreds of 
France), toy safety is a specialty. Lille receives hundreds of 
toy samples each year: over 600 in 2008 alone (roughly 10% 
toy samples each year: over 600 in 2008 alone (roughly 10% 
of all samples), a big increase given that just a few years ago 
of all samples), a big increase given that just a few years ago 
the ﬁ gure was more like 100. The toy department checks 
the ﬁ gure was more like 100. The toy department checks 
all sorts of toys intended for use in the home. This even 
all sorts of toys intended for use in the home. This even 
includes “non-toy” products that children are likely to play 
includes “non-toy” products that children are likely to play 
with because they could resemble a toy as well as “food-
with because they could resemble a toy as well as “food-
imitating products” - products that pose a risk of choking 
imitating products” - products that pose a risk of choking 
because children are likely to confuse them with real food 
because children are likely to confuse them with real food 
and put them in their mouth, such as orange shampoo 
and put them in their mouth, such as orange shampoo 
whose container looks like a bottle of orange juice.
whose container looks like a bottle of orange juice.

Various analyses are carried out to test for mechanical 
Various analyses are carried out to test for mechanical 
and physical properties, ﬂ ammability, toxic elements, and 
and physical properties, ﬂ ammability, toxic elements, and 
phthalates. The laboratory also checks that products carry 
phthalates. The laboratory also checks that products carry 
the required age-guidance labelling. Have the chance to 
the required age-guidance labelling. Have the chance to 
look around the Lille toy department and you will see a 
look around the Lille toy department and you will see a 
range of useful testing equipment. Among others: a kinetic 
range of useful testing equipment. Among others: a kinetic 
energy machine checks that a toy car is not propelled 
energy machine checks that a toy car is not propelled 

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quicker than norms allow (for the damage it could cause 
quicker than norms allow (for the damage it could cause
to an eye, for example); a simple cylinder is used to test 
to an eye, for example); a simple cylinder is used to test 
products for children under 3 years of age – if the part ﬁ ts 
products for children under 3 years of age – if the part ﬁ ts
in the hole, it is too small, and therefore dangerous; 
in the hole, it is too small, and therefore dangerous;
a grabber tests the resistance of buttons and other parts; 
a grabber tests the resistance of buttons and other parts; 
and a special ﬂ ame booth is used to see how easily cuddly 
and a special ﬂ ame booth is used to see how easily cuddly
toys will ignite. Products are also dropped from a height 
toys will ignite. Products are also dropped from a height 
onto a hard surface and hit with objects as a shock test – 
onto a hard surface and hit with objects as a shock test –
such tests are always based on standard parameters and the 
such tests are always based on standard parameters and the 
least favourable outcome for the toy, to make sure it cannot 
least favourable outcome for the toy, to make sure it cannot 
get oﬀ  lightly.
get oﬀ  lightly.

Ultimately, if it is found that a product is unsafe or not 
Ultimately, if it is found that a product is unsafe or not
appropriately labelled, it must be brought into conformity 
appropriately labelled, it must be brought into conformity
or face withdrawal and destruction. The reports that the 
or face withdrawal and destruction. The reports that the 
laboratory makes to the relevant government oﬃ  ces can 
laboratory makes to the relevant government oﬃ  ces can 
also lead to warnings being issued via the EU’s RAPEX alert 
also lead to warnings being issued via the EU’s RAPEX alert 
system. All of which just goes to show that, when it comes 
system. All of which just goes to show that, when it comes 
to scrutinising the safety 
to scrutinising the safety 
of toys, it is certainly 
of toys, it is certainly 
not child’s play as far as 
not child’s play as far as 
customs laboratories are 
customs laboratories are 
concerned.
concerned.

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Helping the environment

European customs laboratories: experience you can rely on

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Protecting the environment is a relatively recent addition 
to customs laboratories’ sphere of activities, but one that is 
growing in importance. The world is increasingly concerned by 
environmental matters such as ozone-depleting substances, 
dangerous waste (like chemicals and heavy metals) and 
persistent pollutants. At the same time, in view of greater 
globalisation, customs is increasingly called on to provide an 
integrated service to society and to act as a “single window”, 
encompassing not only traditional ﬁ scal activities, but a 
range of other functions, including environmental protection. 
Support for CITES (the Convention on International Trade in 
Endangered Species of wild fauna and ﬂ ora) is just one area 
where customs laboratories have an important role to play, by 
identifying CITES-controlled species.

At the Dutch Customs Laboratory, where environmental work 
accounts for about 10% of their overall activity, work in this 
area has, for instance, included analysis related to CITES and 
waste. Many types of wood, for example, are on the CITES list. 
Mostly, this concerns pieces of wood arriving at the airport 
– small pieces intended for perfumes, for example. With 
every wood having its own distinct pattern, a microscopic 
check can be used to identify diﬀ erent species, or a fragment 
can be placed in a more sensitive mass-selective detector 
apparatus. Other parts of the laboratory that employ DNA/PCR 
(Polymerase Chain Reaction) techniques can check, among 
other things, ﬁ sh for CITES or tariﬀ  purposes. Meanwhile, Dutch 
work on waste has included operations to check transport of 
waste and import/export by air or sea. This could involve, for 
instance, looking for excessive amounts of a heavy metal like 
cadmium. Detecting CFCs (chloroﬂ uorocarbons) in foams, such 
as in fridges, is another example of the valuable environment-
related work that has been performed.

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Promoting security and combating terrorism

Potential threats from terrorism and weapons of mass 
destruction are another recent evolution in the area in which 
European customs oﬃ  ces operate. The customs laboratories can 
have an important role to play in preventing and dealing with 
any such threats. It is an evolution that is likely to bring them 
increasingly out of the laboratory building and into the ﬁ eld, 
notably using mobile equipment and ‘mobile laboratories’ 
(see also p. 14). It is a challenge that customs services must face 
in close cooperation with the relevant authorities at national and 
international level.

There are any number of goods that might be worthy of 
attention when it comes to security, from chemicals and 
industrial and scientiﬁ c equipment to items such as mobile 
phones, smoke alarms, hair bleach and even heat-stroke tablets. 
The expertise of customs laboratories can be invaluable in such 
cases. Signiﬁ cantly for security-related controls, the technology 
also exists to test for harmful substances or explosives that might 
be present in cargo containers (see p. 13) – helping to keep 
customs one step ahead in their eﬀ orts to promote security and 
combat terrorism.

LABS IN ACTION: RESPONSE TO TERROR THREATS
LABS IN ACTION: RESPONSE TO TERROR THREATS
The Dutch Customs Laboratory, for example, is one labora-
The Dutch Customs Laboratory, for example, is one labora-
tory that has a potential supporting role to play in the event 
tory that has a potential supporting role to play in the event 
of the need to respond to a terrorist attack: it can be called 
of the need to respond to a terrorist attack: it can be called 
on to provide chemical analysis as part of a contingency for 
on to provide chemical analysis as part of a contingency for 
national cooperation between laboratories oﬀ ering various 
national cooperation between laboratories oﬀ ering various 
specialisms. Fortunately, at the time of writing, the laboratory 
specialisms. Fortunately, at the time of writing, the laboratory 
has never had to analyse a real terror-response sample, but it 
has never had to analyse a real terror-response sample, but it 
is important to at least provide for the possibility.
is important to at least provide for the possibility.

Customs laboratories can contribute to promoting security 
through checks on chemical or biological substances that 
could be used as weapons, nuclear and radioactive material, 
restricted goods and dual-use items that could have both civilian 
and military applications – this can entail checking goods or 
documentation pertaining to items to be sent to countries that 
are subject to certain security-related export restrictions.

12

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European customs laboratories: experience you can rely on

Moving with the times: equipment and new technologies

The customs laboratories need many types of equipment in their 
day-to-day work, from relatively low-tech items like a simple old 
Bunsen burner to much more high-tech (and often very expensive) 
equipment needing specialist operation and sensitive handling. 
In an ever-changing customs landscape, the quest to maintain a 
state-of-the-art service is an ongoing challenge. Food production 
and goods manufacture, health risks and the methods used by 
those trying to cheat the system never cease to evolve.

The list of equipment that the respective laboratories have 
at their disposal is wide-ranging and is updated on an 
ongoing basis. It includes instrumentation such as liquid or 
gas chromatographs, densimeters and polarimeters, mass 
spectrometers and mass-selective detectors, along with a host 
of acronyms like FTIR (Fourier Transform Infra-Red spectrometry), 
UV/VIS (Ultra-Violet/Visible spectrometry) and XRF (X-Ray 
Fluorescence).

The good news for customs managers and others is that you 
don’t have to know exactly how all these devices work: 
you can rely on the customs laboratories for that.

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Customs laboratories must respond by keeping abreast of 
new technologies, constantly reﬁ ning both the equipment 
and analytical methods used to study the samples they 
receive. Some of the latest developments include advanced 
analytical techniques such as isotopic determination by Nuclear 
Magnetic Resonance and Mass Spectrometry for assessing 
food authenticity and safety, and DNA techniques for product 
identiﬁ cation or traceability, which can be used to tell the 
diﬀ erence between the many diﬀ erent varieties of potato, for 
example. The technology even exists to check for fumigants like 
preservatives or pesticides in cargo containers that might pose 
a hazard when unpacked by a customs oﬃ  cer and to detect the 
presence of narcotics or explosives.

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13

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Going mobile

It is not always a question of sending a sample to a lab – 
sometimes the lab will come to you. Advances in technology 
and the potential advantages of carrying out checks on site 
mean that the use of “mobile laboratories” – dedicated vehicles 
carrying scientiﬁ c equipment – is increasingly an option for 
the customs laboratories to develop as a complement to their 
core service. While the traditional, static laboratory remains as 
necessary as ever, mobile laboratories bring into play a range 
of possibilities including rapid on-site screening and more 
direct contact between customs scientists and customs oﬃ  cers 
– helpful for advising on sampling procedures and on what 
products to test, for instance. Mobile laboratories could also have 
a signiﬁ cant role to play in responding to terrorist attacks.

In the Netherlands, the Dutch mobile laboratory – introduced 
in 2007 – has been helping out in a number of areas: visiting 
post oﬃ  ces and airports as part of a customs/health action 
on counterfeit medicines arriving in packages from overseas; 
taking lab staﬀ  to advise on how to treat a cacao shipment 
that customs wanted to check for cocaine; and heading out for 
checks on wood imports – helping to determine import duties, 
to detect illegal trade in CITES-listed woods and in general 
helping to build a better picture of world wood trade patterns. 
These are just a few examples of the mobile laboratory’s work.

Of the EU Member States, Hungary and the Netherlands 
both have mobile laboratories in terms of having trucks fully 
equipped for several sorts of analysis. In addition, there are two 
countries with more speciﬁ c mobile laboratory facilities: Ireland 
(portable XRF equipment for the determination of sulphur 

content in mineral oil, for the purpose of combating mineral oil 
fraud) and Germany (ion mobility spectrometry). Furthermore, 
in most EU countries, there is portable equipment (equipment 
small enough for a bag or the back of a car) that can be used for 
performing checks in the ﬁ eld, such as on vehicle fuel – keeping 
labs very much on the move.

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LABS IN ACTION: CHECKS ON FUEL
LABS IN ACTION: CHECKS ON FUEL
A Hungarian supermarket chain was selling a great quantity 
A Hungarian supermarket chain was selling a great quantity 
of diesel oil which did not comply with the necessary 
of diesel oil which did not comply with the necessary 
standard. The Hungarian mobile laboratory car took the 
standard. The Hungarian mobile laboratory car took the 
sample and made the analysis on site, proving the misuse.
sample and made the analysis on site, proving the misuse.

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European customs laboratories: experience you can rely on

The view from a lab...

An experienced eye and a proactive approach to risk are among the 
hallmarks of customs lab work, says Dr Janne Nieminen, the Director 
of the Finnish Customs Laboratory (FCL) – a laboratory that has a 
broad remit covering both consumer protection tasks and more 
traditional customs work...

Q: What is the hot topic as far as customs work is concerned?
A: One big problem is the illegal import of medicines, often 
arriving in packages in the post via the airport. There has been 
a rapid increase in this area since 2004, and the Viagra type is 
the biggest product group. This is not just a problem in Finland, 
but elsewhere in Europe too. Along with customs checks and 
analyses, the public needs to be informed about the dangers 
involved in buying these goods. Meanwhile, we take into 
account changes in legislation and excise in the customs sector. 
For example, on biofuels, we cooperate with the university to 
develop analytical techniques, such as for biocarbon.

Q: What is the FCL’s role regarding consumer protection?
A: Food safety and consumer protection is in fact bigger for us 
than traditional tax and customs work. We mostly deal in this 
respect with products of non-animal origin. Analysis includes: 
mycotoxins, pesticide residues, contaminants, food additives, 

microbes, GMO control, radioactivity and unauthorised use of 
irradiation. We also check and analyse the safety of imported 
consumer goods such as toys, crockery and food packaging 
material. Consumer protection legislation is demanding, and in 
general customs are increasingly obligated to cooperate with 
safety authorities. The procedure we have is eﬃ  cient: if we ﬁ nd 
a problem, customs do not have to contact the authorities – we 
are already contacting them.

Q: How do you see developments in terms of new 
technologies?
A: The PCR technique (Polymerase Chain Reaction) is a relatively 
new technology that we want to use more, notably for detecting 
microbes and viruses – such as viruses in berries that can, for 
example, cause stomach problems – as well as for allergens such 
as nut residues. Another quite new technology, LC-MS-MS (liquid 
chromatography/mass spectrometry), is more expensive than 
other methods but more accurate as it allows analysis at lower 
levels of detection. Regulations are going lower and lower in 
terms of tolerated limits for residues/contaminants.

Q: How would you characterise the FCL’s work?
A: Analysis of samples is of course an important part of our 
work but our role is also about knowledge and experience. 
We know what the results of the analysis mean and how they 
should be interpreted vis-à-vis the relevant legislation for the 
given product/level, etc. It is also important to be aware of 
emerging or potential risks: we try to develop our systems so 
that we know about a risk before it materialises and so that we 
have the right technique at our disposal when it is needed. So 
we are proactive too.

15

... and from a lab user

One customs officer who deals with products covered by the EU’s 
Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) says he doesn’t know where he’d be 
in his day-to-day work without the support of the customs lab he uses...

Q: What do you ask the lab to do?
A: Some of the requests concern export refunds, but most of the 
time it is a case of requesting conﬁ rmation of the commodity 
code in order to determine the correct import duties. Samples are 
sent to the lab, and then they do the necessary tests and issue a 
report. Many agricultural products have a variety of components 
or ingredients, so diﬀ erent tests may be needed. The laboratory 
can also test for species – such as orange vs mandarin, or a certain 
kind of ﬁ sh. In fact they can handle any product in the CAP range 
(as well as all sorts of other samples that they receive). The goods 
come in from non-EU countries from all over the world. The 
vast majority of the time there is no disagreement between the 
laboratory and customs about the tariﬀ  classiﬁ cation, and there is a 
very quick turnaround from the laboratory.

Q: How do you decide what to sample?
A: Some agricultural products are speciﬁ cally covered by EU 
regulations and so require a speciﬁ ed/routine level of sampling. 
Other sampling is mostly based on risk: we have risk proﬁ les 
to know what products to look out for, so it’s not random, but 
uses risk intelligence. Also, the consignment or sample has to 
be representative of the load as a whole. Quite often we liaise 
with the laboratory to see how much sample they need or 
how a sample should be handled, especially for new products 
or products that we have not handled for a while. And our 
operational people meet with the laboratory on a regular basis.

Q: Can you give a concrete example of cooperation between 
customs and customs labs?
A: “WASABI” was an EU-wide operation carried out in Member 
States over two periods in 2007 and 2008 concerning imports 
of fruit and vegetables (fresh, processed and tinned) to make 
sure the products were coming in with the right duty applied. 
Samples were sent to customs laboratories and they played a 
crucial role in the operation. Fruit and vegetables represent a big 
volume of trade, and it can be very diﬃ  cult to classify a product 
without a technical report from the laboratory.

Q: What if there were no customs lab? 
A: You would have to rely on a visual assessment for the 
classiﬁ cation of goods, which would be extremely limiting. It is 
very rarely just a question of ‘apple versus orange’. Without the 
laboratory we would go nowhere. The laboratory is fundamental 
to our work because the examination of goods is an integral part 
of what we do. We couldn’t achieve what we do – and to a high 
standard – without them. Be it for classiﬁ cation of species or 
ingredients, the lab’s work is crucial for maintaining the integrity 
of imports.

16

European customs laboratories: experience you can rely on

Meanwhile, greater coordination between European customs 
laboratories has received the backing of Europeans’ elected 
representatives. In their Resolution of 19 June 2008 on the 
fortieth anniversary of the Customs Union, Members of the 
European Parliament welcomed the initiative to establish 
a European customs laboratories’ network, with a view 
to uniform interpretation of EU technical standards – an 
important sign of political support as the GCL takes its work 
forward.

The beneﬁ ts of European coordination

As the EU moves closer to the reality of a 

territory with no national boundaries, there is 
a need for increased cooperation between 
Member States’ customs laboratories. 
Mutual recognition of analytical procedures, 
a common quality policy and the sharing 
of scientiﬁ c and technical know-how are all 

important steps in this regard. The Group of 
European Customs Laboratories (GCL) provides the structure 

for their coordination, under the overall lead of the European 
Commission.

Dating back to 1999, the GCL aims to rationalise, coordinate 
and optimise the use of human and technical resources among 
the European Customs Laboratories. One of its most important 
missions is to anticipate changes in the customs environment 
and to ensure that the customs laboratories are suﬃ  ciently 
prepared to meet both current and future challenges. Through 
networking and face-to-face contacts between the customs 
laboratories, the GCL adds value by making it easier to 
exchange experience and best practice.

The GCL carries out coordination through six integrated 
actions (see pp. 18-19). Various activities are organised by the 
GCL under the six themes as it moves towards achieving its 
ambitious goal of an integrated network of European customs 
laboratories. The activities are carried out on an ad hoc and 
voluntary basis by the customs laboratories themselves.

17

GCL action 1: ILIADe database of analytical methods
ILIADe, the Intra-Laboratory Inventory of Analytical Determination, 
is a shared directory of analytical methods. Developed by the 
Italian Customs Agency, it provides customs laboratories with an 
easily accessible and up-to-date compilation of methods useful for 
customs purposes, as well as some methods for authenticity and 
quality control, consumer health protection and environmental 
controls. ILIADe is available to all customs laboratories from the 
EU Member States and on special request to non-EU countries. 
The ILIADe database is constantly being improved and updated: 
all information or data is discussed and validated by the Action 1 
working group before being included.

vary according to each laboratory and its own speciﬁ c quality 
system. GCL action 3 aims to develop a Common Quality Policy 
for all customs laboratories so as to ensure uniform interpretation 
of quality requirements and to establish the basis for the mutual 
acceptability of test data without the need for further re-testing 
of products and articles when they are traded internationally. 
The constant eﬀ ort made by the customs laboratories to 
improve and guarantee quality is seen in the increasing number 
of methods of analysis accredited according to ISO 17025. 
In addition, attention has been paid, within GCL action 3, to 
developing a handbook outlining guidelines for sampling 
procedures and to the issue of uncertainty of measurement.

GCL action 2: Inter-comparisons and method validations
This GCL action lays the foundations for validating existing 
analytical methods and for developing new techniques. Studies 
aim to harmonise the analytical methods used by laboratories 
and to compare and validate those used for tariﬀ  classiﬁ cations 
and other policies, while proﬁ ciency tests enable laboratories to 
assess their own methods and way of working. Activities have 
looked at products like “non-Annex 1” goods (Meursing table), 
beer, seasoned poultry, cooked versus un-cooked products, 
sugar, spirits and alcoholic beverages, Solvent Yellow 124 and 
bio-components in fuels. This action also covers coordination 
of customs-related research and development activities in 
collaboration with various relevant research institutes.

GCL action 3: Networking on quality
Although the quality requirements concerning the technical 
competence of laboratories are the same for all customs 
laboratories of the EU Member States, their implementation may 

18

European customs laboratories: experience you can rely on

GCL action 4: Strategy, communication and events
GCL action 4 concerns scientiﬁ c and technical communication and 
exchanges within and about the GCL, also including organisation of 
or participation in workshops, seminars, conferences and training 
days. A number of major seminars bringing together customs 
chemists from the EU and some non-EU countries are organised 
under this action, such as the Seminar of European Customs 
Chemists held every three years. These are an ideal forum for 
customs chemists to meet, exchange views, share experience and 
compare laboratory practices. Training activities have included 
learning days on stable isotopic analyses – very sophisticated 
methods used by customs laboratories. Training could also be 
organised for customs oﬃ  cers on issues such as sampling or safety. 
This fourth action also deals with strategy/future perspectives: 
studying new trends and challenges faced by the customs 
laboratories.

GCL action 5: Scientiﬁ c expertise
This GCL action was one of two new actions (along with GCL 
action 6) introduced in 2009, further enhancing the GCL’s role in 
harnessing scientiﬁ c expertise. Initial activities included a workshop 
on molecular biology and other techniques which can be used 
in the enforcement of the Common Agricultural Policy or the 
control of the customs declaration of food products (beef sexing, 
identiﬁ cation of garlic) as well as the protection of CITES species 
and timber, a working group on textiles and shoes (looking at 
the determination of raw material composition and the method 
for tariﬀ  classiﬁ cation of shoes) and another on tobacco (looking 
at parameters and methods related to controls of tobacco and 
tobacco products). Action 5 also sees steps made towards the 
development of a scientiﬁ c customs force that can rapidly give 

support, if necessary also in the ﬁ eld or online (a virtual helpdesk), 
within the GCL to respond to requests for scientiﬁ c advice or 
expertise, for example to identify drug precursors or to avoid safety 
issues faced by customs oﬃ  cials in their daily work (e.g. dangerous 
fumigants in containers).

GCL action 6: European Customs Inventory of Chemical 
Substances (ECICS)
ECICS is an information tool on chemicals speciﬁ cally designed for 
customs oﬃ  cials and economic operators involved in the customs 
declaration. It is one of the ﬁ rst concrete results of the cooperation 
between the European Commission and EU Member States in 
the customs ﬁ eld (ﬁ rst publication in 1974). ECICS is probably the 
sole database in the world providing reliable classiﬁ cations in the 
customs nomenclature for chemicals and, being freely available on 
the internet, is used worldwide. It currently contains more than 
30 000 approved classiﬁ cations and is constantly being improved 
and updated. It is now available on the secured customs network 
(CCN/CSI) allowing for direct consultation and enrichment by 
customs oﬃ  cials. While it was initally dedicated to the tariﬀ  
classiﬁ cation, it will now provide all the information necessary for 
the rapid and eﬃ  cient control and the safe handling of chemicals 
by customs oﬃ  cials. It is destined to become the cornerstone of 
customs’ implementation of all chemical regulations such as on 
drug precursors, chemical weapons precursors, chemicals that 
are dangerous for health or the environment, and REACH (the 
European Community Regulation on the Registration, Evaluation, 
Authorisation and Restriction of Chemical substances). ECICS was 
integrated into the GCL in 2009 as the sixth action, with the creation 
of a working group looking at it in terms of database organisation, 
choices and validation of entries.

19

Map showing the locations of customs laboratories 
in the European Union Member States (2009)

20

Contacting your laboratory

Member States’ 
customs laboratories (2009)

AUSTRIA

CZECH REPUBLIC

FINLAND

GREECE

Steuer- und Zollkoordination

General Directorate of Customs

Finnish Customs Laboratory

Ministry of Finance,

Technische Untersuchungsanstalt

Customs Technical Laboratory

Tekniikantie 13

General Chemical State Laboratory

Vordere Zollamtstrasse 5

1030 WIEN

+ 43 1 71106/5028 

www.bmf.gv.at

Budejovická 7

14096 PRAHA 4 

+ 420 261333504

www.cs.mfcr.cz 

P.O. Box 53

02151 ESPOO (HELSINKI)

+ 358 20 492 3285

www.tulli.ﬁ 

A.Tsocha str. 16

11521 ATHENS

+ 30 210 6479 000

www.gcsl.gr

BELGIUM

DENMARK

FRANCE

HUNGARY

Laboratorium Douane en Accijnzen

SKAT (Tax and Customs)

Service Commun 

Chemical Institute of the Hungarian

Blijde-Inkomststraat, 20

Told

3000 LEUVEN

+ 32/ 257 53 160

www.ﬁ scus.fgov.be

BULGARIA

Sluseholmen 8 B

2450  KØBENHAVN  SV

Chemists for SKAT

FORCE Technology

Central Customs Laboratory

Park All 345

Customs Agency

Rakovski Str. N 47

1202 SOFIA

+ 359 9859 4150

www.customs.bg

CYPRUS

General State Laboratory

44, Kimonos, Acropolis

1451 NICOSIA

+ 357 22809119

www.sgl.moh.gov.cy

2605 BRØNDBY

+ 45 43 26 70 00

www.force.dk

ESTONIA

Estonian Environmental 

Research Centre

Marja 4D

10617 TALLINN

+372 6112917

www.klab.ee

des Laboratoires (SCL)

Unité de direction (UD)

14, rue Perrée

75003 PARIS

+ 33 1 53 01 50 80

www.douane.gouv.fr

Customs and Finance Guard

20-24 Hősök fasora

P.O. box: 35

H-1163 BUDAPEST

+ 36 1 4035092

www.vam.gov.hu

GERMANY

Bildungs- und 

IRELAND

CUSTOMS and EXCISE

Wissenschaftszentrum der 

State Laboratory

Bundesﬁ nanzverwaltung

Young’s Cross

Abteilung Wissenschaft und Technik

Celbridge

Gescherweg 100

D-48161 MÜNSTER

+49/251 8670-0

www.zoll.de

Co. KILDARE

+ 353 1 505 7000

www.statelab.ie

www.revenue.ie

21

ITALY

POLAND

SLOVAKIA

SWEDEN

Direzione Centrale per l’Analisi 

Customs Chambers in Warsaw

Customs Directorate 

Swedish Customs Laboratory

Merceologica e per lo Sviluppo dei 

Central Customs Laboratory

of the Slovak Republic

Laboratori Chimici

Via Mario Carucci, 71

00143 ROMA

+39 065024.6102/3

www.agenziadogane.it

Kolorowa 13

05-402 Otwock

+ 48 22 719 84 47

Customs Laboratory

Bajkalská 24

821 09 BRATISLAVA

www.clc.warszawa.ic.gov.pl

+ 421 2 5810 2614

LATVIA

Laboratório da Direcção Geral das

SLOVENIA

PORTUGAL

Dutch Customs Laboratory

Kingsfordweg 1

State Revenue Service of the 

Alfândegas e IECS

Customs Administration of RS, 

1043 GN AMSTERDAM

www.colnasprava.sk

THE NETHERLANDS

Republic of Latvia Customs Board 

Ediﬁ cio da Alfândega de Lisboa, 2°

Customs Laboratory

Customs Laboratory

Rua do Terreiro do Trigo

1100-603 LISBOA

+ 351 21 8813102

Smartinska 55

1523 LJUBLJANA

+ 386/1-478 39 92

Citadeles Str.3

RIGA LV 1010

+ 371 670 475 10 

www.vid.gov.lv 

LITHUANIA

National Customs Authority

Agencia Estatal 

ROMANIA

SPAIN

www.dgaiec.min-ﬁ nancas.pt

www.carina.gov.si

HMRC (Her Majesty’s Revenue and 

P.O. Box 12854

112 98 STOCKHOLM

+ 46 840 503 70

www.tullverket.se

+ 31 20 6877900

www.douane.nl 

UNITED KINGDOM

Customs)

Alexander House

21 Victoria Avenue 

Lithuanian Customs Laboratory

Central Customs Laboratory

de Administración Tributaria

Southend on sea, SS99 1AA

Akademijos str. 7

08412 VILNIUS 21

+ 370 (5) 237 56 50

www.cust.lt

MALTA

Malta Customs Laboratory

Lascaris Wharf

Customs House

CMR 1226 VALLETTA

www.maltacustoms.gov.mt

Strada Vulturilor

Nr. 2, Sector 3

30855 BUCURESTI

+ 40 / 2132 60 386

www.customs.ro

Departamento de Aduanas e 

Impuestos Especiales

Laboratorio Central de Aduanas

Calle Navaluenga 2 A

28035 MADRID

+ 34 91 376 80 00

www.aeat.es

Chemists for the 

UK Customs and Excise

Campden BRI

Station Road, CHIPPING CAMPDEN,

Gloucestershire GL55 6LD

+ 44 (0) 1386 842000

www.campden.co.uk

22

Foreword  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  

3

The food on our plate, the drink in our glass, the fuel 

in our cars, the shoes on our feet: welcome to the work 

of the European customs laboratories  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  

Customs laboratories - the scientiﬁ c arm of customs   .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  

Going behind the scenes: the way of the sample  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  

Facilitating trade and securing revenues  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  

Safeguarding health and protecting consumers   .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  

4

5

7

8

9

Helping the environment  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .   11

Promoting security and combating terrorism   .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       12

Moving with the times: equipment and new technologies    .  .   13

Going mobile   .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .   14

The view from a lab ....  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .   15

... and from a lab user   .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .   16

The beneﬁ ts of European coordination  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .   17

Map showing the locations of customs laboratories 

in the European Union Member States    .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .   20

Contacting your laboratory  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .   21

Photos on cover : 

© Margreet De Groot – iStockphoto.com and

© Steve McAlister – GettyImages

Luxembourg: 

Publications Oﬃ  ce of the European Union, 2010

KP-30-09-191-EN-C

ISBN 978-92-79-13631-3 

doi: 10.2778/13049

© European Union, 2010

Reproduction is authorised provided the source is 

acknowledged.

Information on customs laboratories:
http://ec.europa.eu/eu_customs_laboratories

European Commission’s Directorate General 
for Taxation and Customs Union (DG TAXUD):
http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/index_en.htm

European Commission
European customs laboratories: experience you can rely on

Luxembourg: Publications Oﬃ  ce of the European Union

How to obtain EU publications
Publications for sale:
•   via EU Bookshop (http://bookshop.europa.eu);
•   from your bookseller by quoting the title, publisher and/or ISBN number;
•   by contacting one of our sales agents directly. You can obtain their contact 

details on the Internet (http://bookshop.europa.eu) or by sending 
a fax to +352 2929-42758.

Free publications:
•  via EU Bookshop (http://bookshop.europa.eu);
•   at the European Commission’s representations or delegations. You can obtain 
their contact details on the Internet (http://ec.europa.eu) or by sending a fax 
to +352 2929-42758. 

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European Commission —  Taxation and Customs Union

European customs laboratories:

experience you can rely on