This report forms the output of a Study, carried out for the Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union (DG TAXUD) of the European Commission, to support the impact assessment for an EU Single Window environment for customs. In the context of the Study, a single window can be defined as a facility which allows parties involved in trade and transport to lodge standardised digital information and electronic documents with a single-entry point to fulfil all import, export and transit-related regulatory requirements. These relate in particular to non-customs legislation that many goods are subject to at borders as part of the clearance process. An impact assessment is an aid to policy-making that is required for all EU initiatives that are likely to have significant economic, environmental or social impacts. The purpose of the Study was to conduct research, analysis and stakeholder consultation for the Commission's work on the impact assessment, in line with the Commission's Better Regulation Guidelines and Toolbox, and thereby inform decision-making. The Study was formally split into several tasks related to key elements of the impact assessment, namely: 1. Assessment of the extent of and evidence for the existence of problems, and their magnitude; 2. Refinement the general and specific objectives; 3. Description of the policy options; 4. Analyse the impacts of the options. The study also included an evaluation of the EU Single Window - Common Veterinary Entry Document pilot project (hereinafter EU SW-CVED). As an initiative that aimed to address similar objectives to a future EU customs Single Window, and that would continue to exist in the absence of further action, this provided valuable input to the Study. The Study's scope included the entire EU and all relevant initiatives therein, including national single windows in some Member States and EU customs and non-customs policies related to border management and goods clearance. In terms of practical implementation, the study lasted 24 months and was overseen by DG TAXUD and an inter-service steering group convened for the purpose of developing the future initiative.

One of the major challenges for European governments is to solve the dilemma of increasing the security and reducing fraud in international trade, while at the same time reducing the administrative burden for commercial as well as public administration organisations. To address these conflicting demands, the ITAIDE project has developed a large set of innovative IT-related tools and methods that enable companies to be better in control of their business operations. These tools and methods have been integrated in the ITAIDE Information Infrastructure (I3) framework. By using the I3 framework, companies are better positioned to apply for the Trusted Trader status, and enjoy trade facilitation benefits such as simplified customs procedures and fewer inspections of their goods. Hence, the I3 framework can contribute to making global supply chains faster, cheaper, and more secure. The I3 framework has been tested and validated in five real-life Living Labs, spanning four different sectors of industry, and conducted in five different EU countries. National Tax & Customs organizations from various European countries have actively participated in the Living Labs. The United Nations CEFACT group, experts from the World Customs Organization and representatives of key industry associations have also provided valuable feedback and ideas for the Living Labs and the project in general. www.itaide.org

Trade integration contributes substantially to economic development and poverty alleviation. In recent years much progress was made to liberalize the trade regime, but customs procedures are often still complex, costly and non-transparent. This situation leads to misallocation of resources. 'Customs Modernization Handbook' provides an overview of the key elements of a successful customs modernization strategy and draws lessons from a number of successful customs reforms as well as from customs reform projects that have been undertaken by the World Bank. It describes a number of key import procedures, that have proved particularly troublesome for customs administrations and traders, and provides practical guidelines to enhance their efficiency. The Handbook also reviews the appropriate legal framework for customs operations as well as strategies to combat corruption.

This publication displays the menu for choice of available methods to evaluate the impact of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs). It caters mainly to policy makers from developing countries and aims to equip them with some economic knowledge and techniques that will enable them to conduct their own economic evaluation studies on existing or future FTAs, or to critically re-examine the results of impact assessment studies conducted by others, at the very least.

Border clearance processes by customs and other agencies are among the most important and problematic links in the global supply chain. Delays and costs at the border undermine a country’s competitiveness, either by taxing imported inputs with deadweight inefficiencies or by adding costs and reducing the competitiveness of exports. This book provides a practical guide to assist policy makers, administrators, and border management professionals with information and advice on how to improve border management systems, procedures, and institutions.

The emergence of a common security and foreign policy has been one of the most contentious issues accompanying the integration of the European Union. In this book, Michael Smith examines the specific ways foreign policy cooperation has been institutionalized in the EU, the way institutional development affects cooperative outcomes in foreign policy, and how those outcomes lead to new institutional reforms. Smith explains the evolution and performance of the institutional procedures of the EU using a unique analytical framework, supported by extensive empirical evidence drawn from interviews, case studies, official documents and secondary sources. His perceptive and well-informed analysis covers the entire history of EU foreign policy cooperation, from its origins in the late 1960s up to the start of the 2003 constitutional convention. Demonstrating the importance and extent of EU foreign/security policy, the book will be of interest to scholars, researchers and policy-makers.