Your trade and customs knowledge
go-to-place

Digitalization has simplified Customs clearance in many areas, especially in the declaration of imports and exports. However, various data discontinuities and queries unnecessarily delay cross-border … process flows. A group of major logistics companies, software providers and researchers is driving an initiative which could change this. Called the “Open Customs Blockchain”, it focuses on developing and applying blockchain technology for the exchange of key Customs data in foreign trade.

Customs administrations and trade operators both want to reduce the complexity of compiling and exchanging data. However, there can be tension between the Customs administration’s need to access … data and the company’s need to protect confidential information. This article presents two solutions for analysing and reporting data which ensure strong data protection by allowing access to the data without the need to move them around.

In order to stimulate 'thinking outside the box' in the EU debate on the future of the Customs Union, the European Commission has established a Wise Persons Group on Challenges Facing the Customs … Union (WPG) to reflect on four key topics: e-commerce, risk management, the effective management of non-financial tasks and the future of customs governance structure. The group consists of 12 representatives of business, science and state institutions. The result of their work is presented in the report published on 31 March 2022, reviewing both the current customs situation and the origins of the systemic problems, as well as providing 10 recommendations for a major breakthrough.

According to research, a single container shipment can generate up to 200 communications, and the administrative cost of processing the accompanying documentation is estimated to be 15‑20% of … the overall cost of transporting the goods. It is therefore essential to find easier, more efficient ways of transferring data and documents, and verifying and archiving documentation.