Concern Grows Over Looming EU Customs Changes

(Transport Intelligence)

More flexibility is needed from the European Union (EU) regarding implementation of the next stage of its overhaul of European customs procedures. Otherwise, there is a risk of major disruption to supply chains when the planned changes take effect in mid-2009.

That, at least, was the warning sounded by the chairman of UK freight industry software organisation Agency Sector Management (ASM), Peter MacSwiney, in a statement published yesterday (August 11). He said he was echoing industry-wide concerns that businesses would not have enough time to get ready for the pre-arrival and pre-departure information submission requirements when the EU’s new Import and Export Control Systems became live on July 1, 2009.

“We are concerned that the full technical specifications for the new systems are not yet fully established,” said MacSwiney. “It is now just under a year away from the date by which companies must provide the required data to the relevant customs authority as part of the Pre-Arrival and Pre-Departure (PAPD) security declaration programme, leaving us only one year to make the substantial and necessary changes to systems and procedures.”

MacSwiney said the EU claimed that member states were well advanced with their implementation plans for exportation (ECS2) and transit (NCTS4) which would facilitate the submission by trade of pre-departure data. However, it had expressed concerns with the plans to implement across the EU member states an Import Control System (ICS) which would enable pre-arrival data to be submitted and checked for security clearance.

“The ongoing delay in the provision of these specifications almost guarantees the implementation next July will be problematic, risking a potential brake on EU-wide export activity that can only harm the EU’s bottom-line,” warned MacSwiney. “In light of this, ASM is asking the EU to consider taking a more flexible approach over the imposition of the new ICS/ECS regime.”