The express industry provides a fully “integrated” service that accelerates the process of transporting goods across the globe. At the point where express shipments cross international borders, the express industry plays a unique and crucial role.

The European Express Association has been a long standing supporter of trade liberalisation and easier market access. Import, export and delivery of time sensitive goods and documents requires efficient European and global delivery networks.

Members of the European Express Association represent over 30% of customs clearances and some of the largest customs brokerage operations in the European Union. Not only does the express operator handle the customs clearance of a given shipment, it also looks after the payment of duties and taxes as required by the relevant geographical jurisdiction. Thanks to the role of express carriers, businesses that use express can be assured that the numerous rules and associated paperwork of customs clearance will be made as simple as possible.

Furthermore, the current diversity of customs clearance procedures and practices across the world adds costs and imposes barriers to trade.

These differences created negative impacts for both the express industry – making the implementation of modern trade practices unreliable and inefficient – and in turn the customers of express.

The Customs Committee brings together the principle customs policy experts of the EEA, and addresses the many complex customs issues impacting express.

The strength and uniqueness of the committee comes from the fact that it brings together all the key players in the industry, even though they are competitors in the marketplace. Furthermore, the Committee works closely with other relevant industry associations in order to achieve its key policy objectives.

Due to the volume of shipments transported by the express industry that require customs clearance, the express industry is a crucial partner for the European Commission. Therefore, the EEA is a formal member of the Trade Contact Group, a platform for the industry to advise the European Commission on customs policies and procedures.

The Committee’s current work is largely focused on the EU’s Union Customs Code and its many implementing rules. The EEA has actively contributed to the discussions with relevant authorities to ensure that the new code is implemented in the most efficient and secure manner possible. For the EEA, it is of the utmost importance that simplifications will be strengthened and that a level playing field between economic operators is ensured.

For the EEA, the EU’s internal market and the free movement of goods is of fundamental importance. The Customs Committee is therefore concerned about the increasing number of demands from Member States’ national authorities to systematically provide data on goods that are in free circulation in the EU. These controls and request for data cannot be of a routine nature as this would seriously the free movement of goods. In the interest of protecting the EU’s internal market, the EEA strongly encourages the EU institutions to address these national measures.