The European Commission has adopted today a legal act to create a simpler, more modern and integrated EU customs system to support cross-border trade and provide for more EU-wide cooperation in customs matters. It builds on the Union Customs Code adopted in 2013, which sets out detailed rules for twenty-first century customs processes.
Customs services play a central role in policing the EU’s external borders and in facilitating trade. The customs union is the operational arm of much of the EU's commercial policy measures. In addition, a growing range of government agencies call on customs to enforce their policies at the border.EU customs handle 16% of world trade, or over two billion tonnes of goods a year with a value of EUR 3,400 billion.
This has been excerpted from the 28 July 2015 edition of the European Commission Press Release and is available in its entirety at:
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-15-5445_en.htm