CLECAT Position on Trust & Check and Single Liable Person concepts of the Customs Reform
The proposed reform to the Union Customs Code (R-UCC) by the European Commission introduces the concept of a "Single Liable Person" (SLP) and the Trust & Check (T&C) trader framework. While the reform aims to enhance customs compliance and efficiency, it risks undermining the operational viability of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the logistics sector, which are critical to Europe’s economy and global competitiveness. CLECAT argues that the Customs Reform’s concentration of all trade facilitations under Trust and Check (T&C) and the restriction of access to these facilitations via intermediaries by mandating indirect representation are the two essential elements requiring further scrutiny to ensure that the proposal remains practically viable.