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Brussels calls for tougher transport security

[ January 9, 2013   //   ]

The European Commission says that weaknesses have emerged in transport security procedures, and more efforts were needed made at international level. In a communication on customs risk management and security of the supply chain published on 8 January. it said that effective risk management was essential to security and to facilitating legitimate trade and protecting the financial and economic interests of member states.

It follows an assessment of the amended EU customs code in 2005, which was supposed to introduce common rules for customs risk management to identify risks and common conditions for trusted traders (or Authorised Economic Operators’). However, further measures are needed to address security and safety hazards at EU borders, says the Commission.

The Commission wants action to ensure the quality, availability and fusion of trade data. Traders need to provide “quality data” to all customs authorities at the right time and in the right place, so that effective risk management can take place. It also wants improved cooperation with legitimate businesses to combat illicit traffic.

It also suggests “homogeneous” implementation of risk management at all EU external borders and creation of “risk management capacity at EU level, with suitable common risk criteria or EU-level risk profiles applied directly to EU-level data, rather than via 27 national systems, in crisis or other situations. A capability organised at EU level would also strengthen the ability to identify common risks. There should be better customs coordination with other authorities and agencies and increased international cooperation with the EU’s main trading partners.

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