Activities of Morten LØKKEGAARD related to 2018/0232(COD)
Shadow reports (1)
RECOMMENDATION FOR SECOND READING on the Council position at first reading with a view to the adoption of a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Customs programme for cooperation in the field of customs and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1294/2013
Amendments (11)
Amendment 32 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1 a (new)
Recital 1 a (new)
Amendment 33 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) The customs union has evolved considerably over the last fifty years and customs administrations now successfully perform a wide variety of tasks at borders. Acting together, they work to facilitate trade and reduce red tape, collect revenues for national and Union budgets and protect the public against terrorist, health, environmental and other threats. In particular, with the introduction of an EU- wide Common Risk Management Framework19 and customs control of movements of large amounts of cash to combat money laundering and terrorist financing, customs assume a front line position in the fight against terrorism and organised crime,. For such reason, the customs union helps safeguarding the financial interests of the Union and of the Member States and are responsible for tracking illegal cross-border flows of goods and fighting fraud schemes with a significant financial impact on national and EU budgets. Given that broad mandate, customs is now effectively the lead authority for the control of goods at the Union’s external borders. Against that backdrop, the Customs programme should not only cover customs cooperation but extend its support to the mission of customs authorities at large, as set out in Article 3 of Regulation (EU) No 952/2013, i.e. the supervision of the Union's international trade, the implementation of the external aspects of the internal market, of the common trade policy and of the other common Union policies having a bearing on trade, as well as the security of the supply chain. The legal basis will therefore cover customs cooperation (Article 33 TFEU), internal market (Article 114 TFEU) and commercial policy (Article 207 TFEU). _________________ 19 https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/gene ral-information-customs/customs-risk- management/measures-customs-risk- management-framework-crmf_en
Amendment 34 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2 a (new)
Recital 2 a (new)
(2 a) New trends and technologies - digitalisation, connectedness, the internet of things, data analytics, artificial intelligence and blockchain technology – present both opportunities and threats. New business models such as e-commerce and supply chain optimisation are emerging and must be framed and properly checked. At the same time, public finances are under pressure, the volumes of world trade are increasing, fraud and smuggling are a constant and growing concern and there are persistent transnational crime and security threats. All of this is putting EU customs authorities under increasing pressure and requires proper financing of the customs authorities and an even closer cooperation between them.
Amendment 37 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) In providing a framework for actions that has as objective to support the customs union and customs authorities, the Programme should, as a general objective, contribute to protecting the financial and economic interests of the Union and its Member States; protecting the Union from unfair and illegal trade while supporting legitimate business activity; ensuring the security and safety of the Union and its residents; and facilitating legitimate trade, so that businesses and citizens can benefit from the full potential of the internal market and of global trade.
Amendment 38 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3 a (new)
Recital 3 a (new)
(3 a) Although Article 278 of the Union Customs Code1a set a single deadline of 31 December 2020 for the deployment of all the systems referred to in that Article, and despite the efforts made by the Union and some of the Member States, at budgetary and operational levels, to complete the work within the time limit given, it has become evident that some systems can only be partially deployed by that date, which implies that non-electronic systems will continue in use beyond that date, and in the absence of legislative amendments extending that deadline, companies and customs authorities will be unable to perform their duties and legal obligations as regards customs operations. One of the primary specific objectives of the Programme should therefore be to assist Member States and the Commission to set up such electronic systems. _________________ 1a Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 October 2013 laying down the Union Customs Code (OJ L 269, 10.10.2013, p. 1).
Amendment 41 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3 b (new)
Recital 3 b (new)
(3 b) The financial envelope of the Programme does not take into account the implications, and in particular the costs, related to the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union. Those costs cannot be estimated at the date of adoption of this Regulation, due to the ongoing nature of the withdrawal agreement negotiations, and also due to the uncertainties regarding the future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union. It cannot be excluded that the United Kingdom will disengage from all customs systems and from all cooperation existing under the customs union, such as the customs electronic systems referred to in the Article 278 of the Union Customs Code1a . Such disengagement will automatically imply some costs. The Commission should therefore consider reserving sufficient resources from the financial envelope of the Programme to prepare for those potential costs. _________________ 1a Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 October 2013 laying down the Union Customs Code (OJ L 269, 10.10.2013, p. 1).
Amendment 44 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) The actions which applied under the Customs 2020 programme and have proven to be adequate and should therefore be maintained, while others that have proven to be inadequate should be terminated. In order to provide more simplicity and flexibility in the execution of the Programme and thereby better deliver on its objectives, the actions should be defined only in terms of overall categories with a list of illustrative examples of concrete activities. Through cooperation and capacity building, the Customs programme should also promote and support the uptake and leverage of innovation to further improve the capabilities to deliver on the core priorities of customs.
Amendment 59 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2
Article 4 – paragraph 2
2. TWhen necessary and duly justified, the amount referred to in paragraph 1 may also cover expenses for preparation, monitoring, control, audit, evaluation and other activities for managing the Programme and evaluating the achievement of its objectives. It may moreover cover expenses relating to studies, meetings of experts, information and communication actions, in so far as they are related to the objectives of the Programme, as well as expenses linked to information technology networks focusing on information processing and exchange, including corporate information technology tools and other technical and administrative assistance needed in connection with the management of the Programme, in so far such activities are required for the achievement of the objectives of the Programme.
Amendment 60 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. The Commission shall reserve resources from the financial envelope of the Programme in order to cover the potential costs of the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from all customs legislation arrangements and activities of the Union. Before reserving those resources, the Commission shall make an estimate of such potential costs. That estimate shall be made when the uncertainties regarding the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and to the future relationship of the United Kingdom with the European Union are resolved.
Amendment 69 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 1
Article 9 – paragraph 1
1. Grants under the Programme shall be awarded and managed in accordance with Title VIII of the Financial Regulation, and specifically with the principles of sound financial management, transparency, proportionality, non- discrimination, equal treatment.
Amendment 79 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 1
Article 13 – paragraph 1
1. The Programme shall be implemented by multiannual work programmes referred to in Article 108 of the Financial Regulation. The work programmes shall in particular set out the objectives to be pursued, the expected results, the method of implementation and the total amount of the financing plan. They shall also set out in detail a description of the actions to be financed, an indication of the amount allocated to each action and an indicative implementation timetable. The work programmes shall be, where applicable, communicated to the European Parliament.