Preserving Control in Trade Procedure Redesign - The Beer Living Lab

INTRODUCTION Globalization requires the European Union (EU) to reduce the administrative burdens on companies involved in cross-border trade if the EU is to remain a competitive economic zone. Two important foci in the EU electronic customs MultiAnnual Strategic Plan are the implementation of Authorized Economic Operators (AEO) and the Single Window vision. The Multi-Annual Strategic Plan aims ‘to make customs clearance more efficient, to reduce administrative burdens, to combat fraud, organized crime and terrorism . . . to increase the safety of goods and the security of international trade . . . and to allow for a seamless flow of data . . .’ (DG/ TAXUD 2006). The idea behind the AEO is that the customs administration of each EU Member State should establish a partnership with the state’s private sector to ensure the safety and security of international trade. Certified AEOs will enjoy tangible benefits such as fast customs clearance and simplified procedures. The objective of the Single Window vision is ‘to enable economic operators to lodge electronically and once only all the information required by customs and non-customs legislation for EU cross-border movements of goods’ C op yr ig h t 2 0 0 8 El ec tr on ic M ar ke ts V ol u m e 1 8 (1 ): 5 3 -6 4 . w w w .e le ct ro n ic m ar ke ts .o rg D O I: 1 0 .1 0 8 0 /1 0 1 9 6 7 8 0 7 0 1 7 9 7 6 5 6 Electronic Markets ema141975.3d 16/1/08 12:54:56 The Charlesworth Group, Wakefield +44(0)1924 369598 Rev 7.51n/W (Jan 2