Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Customs System and Customs Procedures in the European Union
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Customs System and Customs Procedures in the European Union

Summary/Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has unprecedented and multidimensional repercussions for economic systems both at a national and a global level. The EU legislation provides for unique instruments designed, among other things, to extend aid to the victims of natural disasters (but not only), which may be utilised in order to respond to an unprecedented health crisis caused by the coronavirus. Customs administrations must play an important role here. Countries which reduced the time and costs of customs clearance at their borders are gaining advantage over those which failed to do so. The crisis sparked off by the COVID-19 pandemic led to questions about the application of customs regulations, customs procedures and customs formalities. Customs clearance should be assigned a high priority when it comes to “critical” goods relating to the protection of human health or life, whereas some imports should be exempt from the customs duty and (national) VAT, if it is possible to demonstrate that such commodities have been given free of charge as a donation. This article aims to describe actions and initiatives associated with customs procedures, which were taken by the EU to combat the pandemic. Measures relating to COVID-19, which concern customs procedures and trade, provide, at the same time, a review of challenges that both Member States and the whole European Union must confront to ensure the availability of goods on the one hand, and to facilitate the movement of goods and guarantee the safety of trade in goods on the other.

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