Poland has registered Warsaw as the seat of the new EU customs agency, EUCA

Poland has submitted an application to the European Commission to establish the seat of the EU Customs Office (EUCA) in Warsaw, an EU source said on Thursday. In the application, the Polish government emphasized that the seat should be awarded to one of the countries with a strategic location and experience in border management.

In a letter addressed by Prime Minister Donald Tusk to the Secretary-General of the European Commission, Ilze Juhansone, it was emphasized that the seat should be awarded to one of the countries with a strategic location and experience in managing the EU's external borders and which focuses on the highest standards in the field of broadly understood security. – Poland certainly meets these criteria – emphasized the Prime Minister.

The Polish government emphasized in its application that Poland is the 20th strongest economy in the world and the sixth largest economy in the European Unionand Polish road, rail and sea border crossings play a key role in trade with the EU and non-Community countries. Moreover, the Prime Minister noted, the Polish customs administration is modern and effective, and is staffed by experienced officers. Therefore, establishing the EUCA headquarters in Poland would be a significant step towards strengthening the customs union and EU border security, he argued. The application was accompanied by a proposal for a specific location for EUCA in Warsaw.

It would be the second, after Frontex, EU agency located in the Polish capital.

The deadline for member states to submit applications is Thursday. Poland submitted the application the day before.

The Polish Ministry of Finance announced at the end of October that Poland would take part in the competition for the headquarters of EUCO and would indicate Warsaw as the location of the headquarters. Accelerating work on the reform of the EU Customs Code, on the basis of which a new office is to be established, was one of the priorities of the Polish Presidency of the EU Council in the first half of 2025. The new agency is to employ 250 people. Poland is competing for the EUCO headquarters, among others. with France and Portugal.

EUCA aims to support Member States' customs authorities in simplifying customs procedures for businesses and ensuring the efficient collection of duties and taxes from the EU and national budgets. It is also intended to contribute to strengthening the protection of the EU market against dangerous or illegal products.

From Brussels Jowita Kiwnik Pargana (PAP)

jowi/ mce/ akl/ jpn/