Deloitte Conference: New EU Customs Code

Deloitte Romania, together with European Commission specialists and representatives of Romanian customs authorities, invite you, on the 31st of March, 2015, at the InterContinental Hotel, in Bucharest, to learn about the impact of the new EU Customs Code on your company.

The EU Customs Code aims to refocus its customs activity basing it on a fully electronic system and environment. The EU Customs Code sets new customs legislation with significant impact for business as of May 1st, 2016.

The conference will discuss the EU Customs Code, the possibility of applying customs simplifications after May 1st, 2016, why a CFO / Finance Director should be aware of the changes in the EU Customs Code, aspects regarding customs warehouses and free zones - time for change, how non-community goods circulate between member states lacking a transit regime, and customs clearance in Romania of goods in other member states.

All these topics will be covered by speakers, including:

• Frank Janssen - European Commission, Head of Unit A3: Customs Procedures & Project Management

• Fernand Rutten - Deloitte Belgium, Customs Partner and International Commerce

• Liviu Tache - National Customs Authority of Romania, Head of Customs Investigation and Subsequent Control

• Pieter Wessel – Financial Services Partner, Deloitte Romania

• Mihai Petre – Senior Manager, Financial Services, Deloitte Romania

• Daniela Neagoe – Senior Consultant, Financial Services Deloitte Romania

• Ioana Lira – Senior Consultant, Financial Services, Deloitte Romania

Context

May 1st, 2016 – a new stage in customs policies in the European Union

The new Customs Code of the European Union, reforming customs legislation, becomes enforceable starting May 1st, 2016. Businesses involved in foreign trade operations are directly affected by the new provisions. They should act early this year to comply with the new changes in order to avoid discontinuing / changing how they currently conduct customs clearance, mid-2016.

One of the objectives of the EU customs policy is to increase the efficiency in organizing customs controls, but also to streamline customs procedures and to reduce administrative burdens. For these reasons, and also to keep up with technology, the Union has decided to reform the basic customs legislation, namely the Customs Code (Regulation 2913/1992), and its implementing provisions (Regulation 2454/1993).

In these circumstances, the new Union Customs Code (UCC) was published, through Regulation no. 952/2013. It becomes enforceable as of May 1st, 2016, in order to allow both economic operators and customs authorities to comply with the new requirements during this time. Also, the European Commission, in turn, must prepare implementing UCC rules (delegated acts and implementing acts) during this period.

One of the major changes introduced by UCC is to restructure customs procedures. The new category called "special regimes" includes, besides former suspensive customs regimes, customs destinations currently not subjected to submitting customs declarations, and their inherent consequences and related costs - security deposit / payment of customs duties. This includes the operations of placing the goods in temporary storage or free zone.

Another novelty refers to the conditions for authorization of customs regimes and simplified customs procedures. The granting of these licenses will be subjected to the fulfillment of Authorized Economic Operator requirements.

UCC also changes the criteria for granting the status of Authorized Economic Operator, meaning that there will be more requirements that businesses must meet to obtain reliable status. One of the new criteria is, for example, the standards of competence or professional qualifications that must be met by the customs operator within those companies.

Given the new changes, the customs authorities might reassess existing customs permits to check if they meet the new requirements when the UCC becomes enforceable.

Because UCC introduces many changes compared to the current version of the Customs Code, Deloitte prepares an event at the end of March, with the purpose of discussing together with economic operators the changes that affect them directly, and the steps to be followed by the middle of next year, in order to avoid having to discontinue / change mid-2016 their customs clearance procedures of goods. To discuss the new changes from the perspective of the authorities as well, we invited representatives of the European Commission and the Romanian customs authorities to take part in the event.

The new Customs Code of the European Union reforms current legislation as of May 1st, 2016.

”In 2016, we will be able to apply customs clearance procedures in Romania for goods physically located in other Member States, we will submit customs declarations for placing goods in free zones, and Authorized Economic Operators (AEO) will be reconfirmed as reliable partners of the customs authority through further facilities,” says Mihai Petre, Head of Customs Consulting at Deloitte Romania.

Understanding these changes by all participants in foreign trade operations, their appropriate and timely implementation is essential for Romania, which is a true gateway for non-Community goods to Central and Eastern Europe.

”That is why we invited, on March 31st, 2015, representatives of the European Commission and Romanian customs authorities to debate major changes in customs legislation within the conference entitled ’Are you ready for May 1st, 2016, when the new Union Customs Code becomes enforceable,’ ” says Mihai Petre.

For further information about the event and registration, please access www.business-mark.ro, or contact us using the phone number (+40 ) 021 313 98 19, or the following e-mail address: [email protected].