CLECAT Comments on the current operational challenges in Centralised Clearance for Import (CCI)
CLECAT’s pre-meeting submission for the February 2026 DG TAXUD Customs Business Group discussion on Centralised Clearance for Import (CCI) summarises member feedback on operational, legal, and administrative barriers, aiming to inform the Commission’s ongoing efforts to enhance CCI’s effectiveness as a simplification tool for European traders.
CLECAT members strongly support the objective of CCI as a facilitation instrument. However, without stronger harmonisation of VAT-related aspects, interoperable IT systems and clearer allocation of responsibilities between Member States, CCI will remain underutilised. This has further implications to the customs reform, where a CCI-like structure is envisioned as a default.
CLECAT therefore encourages continued dialogue within the Customs Business Group and calls on the European Commission for coordinated legislative and administrative measures aimed at:
- simplifying VAT-related procedures linked to CCI
- ensuring interoperability of customs and tax IT systems,
- clarifying security and guarantee requirements, and
- enhancing legal certainty regarding audit competences and regulatory obligations at the point of entry.