Border Control Agencies for Interlinked and Interoperable Future

EU customs administrations implement common rules at the EU Customs Union borders. They protect society while facilitating legitimate trade.

Alongside the collection of duties and taxes, customs core activities now include security related roles including fighting illegal trade in drugs, weapons, radioactive and nuclear materials, security sensitive dual-use items, illicit waste and other environmental threats.

To deal with high volumes of goods moving across the Union`s borders, and the need to restrict physical interventions to a minimum, customs operate a risk-based, multi-level detection architecture at Border Crossing Points.

This must take into account the nature of the operational environment, the threat materials to be detected, and the types of concealments used by smugglers. For more than two decades, customs have used X-ray scanning as a first level control.

However, current applications of this technology continue to result in a relatively high level of false positives/negatives and inconclusive results, giving rise to secondary controls, including physical inspections.

This can be attributed in part to a failure to develop operator skills through accredited training and sharing of images of threat materials and concealments in a structured manner. Moreover, second level technology controls such as Raman spectroscopy are frequently applied with a narrow focus.

The EU Customs Control Equipment Instrument aims to harmonize customs controls at the EU borders and to upgrade customs equipment including X-ray scanners and field analysis devices. BORDERLINK aims to make a significant contribution to CCEI aims as well as the planned reform of the Customs Union.

BORDERLINK will enhance customs` capabilities and performance at EU borders by advancing the detection and identification of threat materials, improving training, communication and data sharing. It will help to strengthen supply chain controls and promote the Green Customs Initiative.