Customs tasks

A safe and financially healthy Netherlands and Europe. That is what the Customs Administration of the Netherlands works for to achieve. But how exactly do we do that?

Protecting society

We monitor goods crossing the outer borders of the European Union (EU) to protect Europe and its people. We pay particular attention to safety, health and the environment. Many things are allowed to cross the border. But sometimes only if the right papers are present, like meat, animals and plants. This is something we check. Some things are never allowed to enter the country. Drugs are a well-known example.

With our checks, we often also protect countries outside Europe. That includes our checks on the illegal export of waste to Africa and Asia.

Security involves all kinds of goods. Such as strategic goods. These are goods that can be used for military purposes. Security covers all kinds of weapons (fake or real), ammunition and products that can be used to make explosives. And drugs, their precursors, illegal medicines and their ingredients.

We also monitor sanctions measures. The United Nations and the European Union (EU) can impose sanctions on countries or organisations worldwide. This could be because they violate human rights, wage war or do other undesirable things. One of the measures: trade restrictions. That means prohibiting the export of certain goods to a country or subjecting exports to a licence. These could be military goods but also luxury products such as yachts. Customs checks whether these measures are being complied with.

Travellers entering or leaving the EU with cash, cheques, shares or other money laundering-sensitive items such as expensive watches worth €10,000 or more must declare them. They have to tell Customs where the money comes from, where it is going and what it is for. We do this to keep an eye on money flows worldwide to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.

We also check whether stolen cars are crossing the border. And we help the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate to supervise the transport of hazardous substances.

Health includes plants and products made from them. They can carry organisms, fungi and diseases. For example, there are strict rules for their importation to prevent the spread of plant diseases and pests. The same applies to live animals and animal products, such as meat, milk and cheese. The aim is to prevent outbreaks of animal diseases such as swine fever, foot-and-mouth disease and avian flu. Commercial fishing is allowed only in certain areas to prevent overfishing. We therefore also check documents when fish is imported.

The CITES convention contains agreements on international trade in endangered plant and animal species. That means the animals and plants with trade bans and for which a permit is needed. The aim is to prevent endangered species from becoming extinct in the wild or declining sharply in numbers through trade. If we find such an animal or plant during an inspection, whether alive, dead or incorporated in clothing or cosmetics, we check whether the import is prohibited or requires a permit.

We also check whether the documents for organic agricultural products are in order. We check pets' health records when people take them with them when they travel. This is to prevent them from carrying diseases such as rabies and bird flu. We also monitor the import of animal feed, veterinary medicines, plant protection products, wood and dog and cat fur.

We are also concerned with food safety, i.e. whether food meets certain quality requirements. The same goes for product safety, including that of communications equipment. But also other things. For example, we also stop toys at the border that may contain cadmium or softeners.

We monitor the illegal trade in heritage items, i.e. objects of great cultural and historical value. This is to safeguard the heritage of countries all over the world. These are mainly works of art and antique items that fall under the Heritage Act. A permit is required to import or export this type of item. Customs checks this.

We also deal with intellectual property rights. Customs can intervene if we suspect that goods infringe an intellectual property right. For instance counterfeit clothing. We also monitor the trade in instruments of torture. These are objects that can be used for capital and corporal punishment.

We collect import duties on certain agricultural products from outside the European Union to protect our own trade. This also applies to other types of products. These are what we call the trade policy arrangements.

We assist the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate in checking the import and export of waste materials. We also do this for all kinds of other things, such as unsafe fireworks, radioactive and nuclear substances. This also includes substances harmful to the environment, such as mercury, chromium and cadmium. We also control the composition and quality of fuels to reduce air pollution.

A stronger economy

Customs contributes to a strong, attractive and fair economy. We do this by:

ensuring that companies comply with rules that prevent products from being sold below market price, i.e. at "dump prices": the anti-dumping measures
stopping the import of counterfeit goods
ensuring clear customs procedures, the smooth functioning of declaration systems and minimising administrative burdens
operating controls appropriate to the risk, at logical places and moments in the logistics chain
taking trade policy measures to protect certain industries from unfair competion.

Funding for public tasks

We see to it that members of the public and companies pay taxes. We also fight tax fraud. This covers:

excise duty on mineral oils (including petrol and diesel), tobacco products (such as hand-rolled tobacco and cigarettes) and alcoholic beverages (including beer and wine)
consumption tax on certain non-alcoholic drinks, such as soda and fruit juice
import duties, which are charges on imported goods
countervailing duties and anti-dumping duties, which are duties to prevent products being sold at a very low price.

The proceeds from excise duty and consumption tax go to the Dutch treasury. Those taxes are the financial foundation of the Netherlands. They fund things that are necessary for our country and that benefit everyone, such as roads, hospitals and schools.

Import duties, countervailing duties and anti-dumping duties go to Brussels to finance the European Union.

Customs tasks

Protecting society

Security

Health

Economy

Environment

A stronger economy

Funding for public tasks