Brussels – On Wednesday, 25 March 2020, the American Chamber of Commerce to the EU (AmCham EU) sent a letter to Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni, Stephen Quest, Director General of DG TAXUD and Philip Kermode, Director, Customs (TAXUD.A), DG TAXUD, calling for a coordinated response with the Member States to the COVID-19 crisis on customs border management and flow of commercial goods.

In these extraordinary times, the supply chain and delivery services play a pivotal role in ensuring that time-critical shipments are delivered in time to those who need them.

While recognising and commending the continued efforts by the European Commission to ensure the continued flow of goods within Europe, AmCham EU is calling on DG TAXUD to provide additional measures to coordinate the response between the Member States and ensure a free flow of goods between EU Members States and to third countries.

Operational continuity for road, rail, sea and air transport operations is essential to deliver critical medical supplies, ensure ongoing food security and where the transport of consumer goods from e-commerce activities serve as the only means of sales as retail stores have been ordered to close.

To this end, AmCham EU called for urgent measures and guidelines with regard to:

• Flexible transit arrangement including transit guarantees that would reduce the amounts to be guaranteed per the EU’s New Computerised Transit System (NCTS), an extension to the 2/3-day window to discharge transit documentation and flexible cancellation options;

• Simplified customs entry at presentation of goods, reduced inspections and paperwork as well as postponed processing of full customs declarations and supplementary entries;

• Facilitation of customs warehousing and flexible solutions for blocked bonded goods, and an extension of the current 90-day limit on the temporary storage of goods; and

• An extension of the Single Transport Contract (STC) for road movements in light of current and potential air travel restrictions.

AmCham EU believes that such coordination is necessary for supply chains to deliver essential goods during this ongoing health crisis.

The US business community stands ready to discuss these issues in more detail.

Read the letter

For more information, please contact Chloé Morice, Policy Adviser (CMO@amchameu.eu).