CLECAT’S CUSTOMS INSTITUTE MEETS IN BRUSSELS
On Monday, 18th November, members of CLECAT’s Customs and Indirect Taxation Institute (CITI) gathered at the CLECAT office in Brussels. The meeting featured updates on critical issues, including the state of play on the EU Customs Reform, the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), the Import Control System (ICS2) Release 3, and the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). Members also exchanged insights on national regulatory developments and shared concerns on upcoming challenges for customs intermediaries.
Key discussions included the unprecedented number of customs IT system launches scheduled for 2024 under the UCC Work Program. These launches, coupled with new environmental and product safety regulations, are putting significant pressure on stakeholders. CLECAT members emphasised the importance of ensuring realistic implementation timelines and flexible IT frameworks to keep pace with technological advances as well as regulatory changes.
Members also received a detailed report on CLECAT's recent joint initiatives with the Trade Contact Group (TCG), focusing on collaborative efforts to address shared priorities such as changes in the AEO status, customs penalties and liabilities, the upcoming Electronic Customs Coordination Expert Group (ECCG) meeting and preparations for the December TCG plenary session.
As the final year of the UCC Work Program approaches, CLECAT continues to closely monitor developments, providing timely updates to both legislators and members to ensure readiness for regulatory and IT-related changes. Within the CITI, members maintain a well-established practice of exchanging insights and solutions from their national implementations, offering valuable support to address the significant challenges currently facing European Customs.