The European Commission submitted proposals for reforming the Customs Union of the European Union, established in 1968. Measures will simplify customs procedures for economic operators, reduce the complexity of customs procedures. The reform is designed to simplify customs procedures for businesses, especially for the most reliable participants in foreign trade, and at the same time to provide customs authorities with adequate tools and resources "to protect the EU, its citizens and the economy."
As part of the reform, it is proposed to create a new EU Customs Administration, under which there will be a single EU Customs Data Center, which will act as the engine of the new Data Hub system. In the future, the Center will replace the existing information systems of the customs services of EU member states.
According to the statement published by the EU, the need for reform is due to the growing pressure on the EU customs services in the conditions of a rapid increase in the volume of cross-border Internet trade, the number of standards, as well as changing geopolitical realities.
The reform provides for the creation of a single portal through which business will interact with customs, while the need to provide the same data several times will be eliminated, including when registering subsequent batches. The reform also envisages the transformation and development of the Institute of Authorized Economic Operators.
It is tentatively planned that e-commerce shipments will begin to be processed through the single EU Customs Data Center from 2028, and from 2032 other importers will be able to start using it.
A complete transition to the new system may take place in 15 years: a decision on this will be made based on an analysis of the system's operation in 2035.