“CELBET project deserves a special attention in order to find out best solution for futher operating in the future for ours as well as the EU benefits.” – the head of National Revenue Administration, Bartosz Zbaraszczuk, said at the CELBET Steering Comittee meeting in Poznan.
On 24-25 May, 2022 in Poznan, CELBET Steering Committee took place. This 2 days meeting was a special meeting because of the participation of the Director General of DG TAXUD Mr GerassimosThomas and DG of the Belgian customs administration, Mr Kristian Vanderwaeren. Traditionally, in the meeting the DGs of customs administrations of 11 CELBET Member States (Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Romania, Hungary), the representatives of the European Commission, -furthermore representatives of FRONTEX, and EUROPOL participated.
The first day of the meeting was opened by deputy Head of National Revenue Administration Mr Mariusz Gojny, who underlined the meaning of the project: “ The last meeting which took place in Warsaw was very significant in terms of the decisions and foresight discussions. We took note and adopted the feasibility study report which brought us to the conclusions, that the permanent structure is needed to secure the future of CELBET. As you are aware, CELBET became a sort of celebrity within the customs society recently. The example of how we are working has been used by Wise Persons Group. This group of high profile professionals has called CELBET a cooperation in action”.
The first day of the Steering Committee meeting was an opportunity to present team’s most interesting outcomes and their ideas of new activites according to the CELBET+ Business Case.
Second day of the Steering Committee meeting was opened by Head of National Revenue Administration Mr Bartosz Zbaraszczuk, who said: “ CELBET project deserves a special attention in order to find out best solution for further operating in the future for ours as well as the EU benefits”.
That day was mainly dedicated to the principles on the CELBET way forward, taking the report of Wise Persons Group, CELBET + Business Case and Feasibility Study into account.
Director General of DG TAXUD, Mr GerassimosThomas shared the wider picture of customs: “This is a year when we have bigger reflection on the future of customs. (…)One of the recommendation of the WPG is precisely to strenghten the coordination of customs authorities across Europe, across border and this is coinside with the vision of CELBET. There are two ways of going forward into this. The first is to make sure that CELBET is the core of the new coordination effort, and the second is to know that you have an experience of the ground among CELBET countries and third countries to be engaged in this trategic reflection more. You are at the best place to see what can work and what can not work.”
Mr Thomas underlined the big challenge that customs is facing nowadays, which is moving from goods into substances control, how to rearticulate the defence of our common border for goods in the world changing geopolitically. He highlighted the need to develop new partnerships not only among customs authorities but also market surveillance authorities.
