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What does CCI entail?

CCI aims to modernise and unify customs clearance practices across the European Union. It allows Authorised Economic Operators (AEOs) who hold CCI authorisation to submit customs declarations and place goods under a customs procedure in a member state where they and the Supervising Customs Office (SCI) are located, while the goods can be physically presented in another member state where the Presentation Customs office (PCI) is located. This process will reduce administrative obligations, as the declarant will only communicate with the SCI.

Step-by-step: The role of the customs offices in cross-border customs clearance

Suppose a trader is based in Barcelona (Spain) and wants to import his goods to Venice (Italy). The declarant files a declaration with the SCI in Barcelona. Next, the SCI in Barcelona takes care of further communication with the PCI in Venice, where the goods are physically presented. This means the declarant only needs to have contact with the SCI and further coordination takes place between the customs offices.

Key responsibilities of the SCI and PCI in Centralised Clearance

The SCI plays a central role in managing customs declarations and the release of goods for import. The SCI monitors the placement of goods under the correct customs procedure and is responsible for accepting the customs declaration. An important part of the SCI's work is performing risk analysis. In addition, the SCI checks the submitted documents and, if necessary, can request additional documents from the declarant.

The SCI communicates the data from the customs declaration to the PCI, which oversees physical inspection of the goods. If warranted, the SCI may request the PCI to examine the goods or take samples for further analysis. Based on its own checks and the results of the PCI, the SCI then decides on the release of the goods for import. Furthermore, the SCI is empowered to approve amendments to the customs declaration or, if necessary, declare it invalid. The SCI also monitors the application of customs and excise regulations (Union P&R) and ensures that the necessary permits or certificates are handled. Lastly, the SCI is responsible for handling customs duties.

Applying for a CCI authorisation: Requirements, process, and timeline

Applying for a CCI authorisation can be done through the EU Trader Portal. This is a European Union electronic access point where all kinds of authorisations can be applied for. The customs authority to which the application should be submitted is the authority of the place where the applicant's main customs administration is located.

As mentioned above, an important requirement for obtaining a CCI authorisation is that the applicant must be an authorised economic operator for customs simplifications and hold an AEO authorisation. (Article 179 (2) of regulation (EU) No. 952/2013.)

Applicants for a CCI should consider the time limits for accepting and granting the authorisation. This takes a maximum of 120 days but can be extended by 30 days (Article 22(3) of regulation (EU) No. 952/2013). Therefore, we recommend applying for this authorisation on time.

CCI system rollout: Current status and future expansion across the EU

The CCI system became operational in its first phase on July 1, 2024, and is currently active in Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Romania, and Spain. Other EU member states are scheduled to implement the system by late 2025 as part of a gradual rollout. This timeline is consistent with the EU's phased approach to implementing CCI under the Union Customs Code, aiming to streamline customs processes across the EU.