The Council of the EU and the European Parliament have agreed on new trade rules
The Council of the EU and the European Parliament have agreed on a reform of the European Union’s customs system, which is intended to modernize trade controls and adapt them to today’s challenges.
This was reported by the Council of the EU.
The update aims to respond to the rapid growth in international trade, particularly e-commerce, the increasing number of EU standards for border checks, and the complex geopolitical situation.
The reform involves introducing innovative tools to simplify global trade, improve the efficiency of customs revenue collection, and strengthen controls on dangerous or substandard goods. At the same time, the new system will ensure reliable controls without placing an excessive burden on businesses and government agencies.
“Today’s agreement marks the most significant reform since the Customs Union was established in 1968. The Union’s new Customs Code will allow us to address the numerous challenges posed by new geopolitical realities while ensuring economic security. Once adopted, this modern toolkit will promote trade and ensure proper customs collection in a simplified manner and with the necessary legal certainty,” said Cyprus Finance Minister Makis Keravnos.
Among the key changes agreed upon by the co-legislators:
– the creation of a single modern EU customs data hub as a central platform for business interaction with customs authorities, which will strengthen the control and tracking of goods;
– the introduction of simplified procedures for trusted traders, which will help reduce time and cost;
– the introduction of a pan-European fee for processing small parcels imported into the EU;
– the creation of a new decentralized EU customs authority to coordinate the system’s operations and support risk management at the national level.
The Council of the EU and the European Parliament will continue working on the technical details of the document until its final adoption. The new customs legislation is expected to enter into force 12 months after its publication in the Official Journal of the EU.
As a reminder, in January–February 2026, Ukrainian customs authorities detected 1,822 customs violations totaling 460 million UAH. This is 24% more than during the same period last year.
