Customs brokers: ready for the future?

This recording is relevant to customs and trade compliance professionals seeking to understand how the EU Customs Reform and digitalisation will reshape the role of customs brokers and representatives across the Union.

Topics covered

• The current legal framework governing customs representation under the Union Customs Code (Recital 21, Articles 3(6), 18 and 39).
• The distinction between direct and indirect representation, and the three categories of customs representative recognised in a Member State.
• How liberalisation has led to a "trivialisation" of the profession and blurred the line between professional and non-professional representatives.
• Why customs brokers remain essential for SMEs, safeguarding EU resources such as customs duties, anti-dumping duties, excise duties and VAT.
• The EU Customs Reform's three pillars — the new EU Customs Authority, the EU Customs Data Hub, and the Trust and Check trader status — and their impact on customs representatives.
• The role of artificial intelligence as a support tool rather than a replacement for the customs agent.
• The need for brokers to embrace digitalisation while maintaining accountability and advisory expertise.
• An optimistic outlook on the future of the customs broker profession, as a trusted advisor and "ambassador of customs compliance."

For a broader overview of the topic, please watch the full recording. The slides are available in the Resources section.

Please note that this summary was generated using AI, based on the recording and available slides.