Moscovici welcomes Council support for customs risk Strategy and Action Plan

Brussels, 04 December 2014

The European Commission welcomes the Council Conclusions on the Commission Communication on the EU Strategy and Action Plan on customs risk management: Tackling risks, strengthening supply chain security and facilitating trade.

"This marks an important step toward more effective and cost-efficient system risk management for EU customs," said Pierre Moscovici, European Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs. "EU customs plays a vital role in managing risks in the international supply chain, with over 300 million declarations to process and €3.5 trillion worth of trade in goods to supervise."

The Strategy, developed jointly with experts from EU member states, aims to strengthen supply chain security and facilitate trade. It aims to encourage cooperation against cross-border risks such as security and safety of goods and excise and customs duties evasion, which can threaten the economic and financial interests of EU member states.

The Strategy is designed to assist EU customs authorities to receive timely data and to encourage systematic cooperation between customs and other agencies and with economic operators.

"Effective risk management is crucial for the security and safety of citizens, the protection of financial and economic interests of the EU and Member States and for accelerating legitimate trade," said Commissioner Moscovici.

Find more information on the Council Conclusions here.

STATEMENT/14/2381

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