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CLECAT participated in the 100th meeting of the Electronic Customs Coordination Group (ECCG), held jointly with the Trade Contact Group (TCG) in Brussels on 3rd and 4th October.

Commemorating the 100th ECCG meeting, participants were welcomed by Mr Gerassimos Thomas, Director General of DG TAXUD, who praised the steady and reliable work of the expert group and emphasised the importance of continuous information exchange between all stakeholders, including the TCG.

During the two-day meeting, Member State experts and trade representatives received the latest updates on the deployment of all ongoing European Customs IT projects from the respective Commission IT teams. Participants also discussed issues with already deployed customs IT systems, proposing solutions and sharing best practices.

The most significant outcome of the 100th ECCG meeting though was undoubtedly France’s official announcement of its inability to complete the deployment of the Automated Export System (AES) without an additional 12-month extension. With several other Member States also struggling to meet the Union Customs Code Work Programme (UCC WP) mandatory deadlines, it is likely that the European Commission, along with all stakeholders, will need to explore alternative solutions to ensure uninterrupted progress towards a harmonised and digitalised European Customs environment.

In response to this crucial development during the ECCG meeting, CLECAT sent a letter to Mr Thomas, Director General of DG TAXUD, acknowledging the frustration and disappointment shared by the Commission over yet another possible delay in the UCC WP. CLECAT, however, expressed its firm support for extending the current transitional period for AES deployment until the last Member State is ready to join the system, seeing this as the only viable solution.