e-Customs

e-Customs refers to the EU's comprehensive initiative for the complete modernisation and computerisation of customs procedures, under the implementation of the Union Customs Code (UCC, Regulation 952/2013).

The e-Customs programme involves the deployment of 17 trans-European IT systems:

NCTS Phase 5: computerised transit
ICS2: import control system
AES: automated export system
CDS: customs decision system
UCC PoUS: proof of Union customs status
INF: information on special procedures
GTP: Guarantee Management System
CDMS: Customs Data Mining System (data analytics)
EU SWE-C: customs single window

The deployment timeline, initially planned for 2020, has been pushed to 2025-2032 due to technical complexity and COVID-19 related delays.

For economic operators, e-Customs means the progressive end of paper, standardisation of procedures across the EU, and the need to adapt their IT systems to interact with European customs platforms.

Questions on this topic

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