New EU customs for dangerous online imports

In a recent report, the European Commission calls for stricter customs controls and closer cooperation with market surveillance authorities. The aim is to better protect the EU internal market from unsafe or non-compliant products – especially goods imported via the booming online trade.

Increasing risks from e-commerce

Between 2022 and 2024, the number of customs controls in which products were stopped due to lack of EU conformity increased significantly. In 2024, customs authorities rejected an average of 13 items per million imports that violated regulations or were considered dangerous. Despite this development, the volume of imports from online trade is growing faster than the authorities' inspection capacities.

Customs reform aims to minimize risks

As part of a comprehensive customs reform, there are plans to establish a new EU customs authority and a central data platform for improved risk management. The reform also aims to make cooperation between customs and market surveillance authorities significantly more efficient. The goal is to identify dangerous products at an early stage, prevent them from entering the market, and at the same time create a level playing field for companies that comply with the rules.

Digital networking as a lever

Digitalization plays a central role: the Commission already supports electronic communication between customs and market surveillance authorities. The new reform, which is currently being negotiated between the EU Council and Parliament, aims to further standardize and automate these processes.

Source: https://retail-news.de/zollreform-onlinehandel-eu-schutz/