Customs and trade
We cooperate with the business community in many ways. One of our main tasks is to ensure that we do not unnecessarily burden businesses in trade and logistics with our checks. This can only be done through close cooperation with the business community.
Customs and Industry Forum
The Customs Industry Forum (ODB) is critical to the cooperation with the business community. All consultations between Customs and representatives of trade, industry and logistics of an international, national or customs region-transgressing nature are conducted under the umbrella of the ODB.
In this forum, Customs, other government organisations and business community representatives discuss trade with countries outside the European Union. And all that goes with it. This is based on equality and openness in the conversation. Companies in the ODB are a sounding board for us and a mouthpiece for their supporters. This intensive cooperation with the business community is unique in the world. The ODB is also the National Committee on Trade Facilitation for the Netherlands.
Economic mission
Besides checking goods, Customs also has an economic task: ensuring the competitiveness of Dutch and European trade and industry. We do this by stopping products from outside the European Union with very low (dumping) prices and counterfeit branded products. But also by making it as easy as possible for trustworthy entrepreneurs to do their jobs. Our controls should not unnecessarily burden companies. Potential bottlenecks are discussed in the ODB.
Each company is given the supervision appropriate to its 'behaviour'. A company that has proven its trustworthiness is subjected to checks that are less disruptive to the logistical process. Once a company has proven its trustworthiness, we check whether the internal control measures and administrative organisation are still as they should be. And we perform random physical checks. We stop and check many shipments of untrustworthy companies.
Our activities in this area are successful. It shows in various international rankings on logistics and border handling. The Netherlands and Customs are at the top of such rankings. This is how we contribute to a solid business climate for companies in the Netherlands.
Attachés in the world
We also have an international network of Customs attachés around the world. These are diplomatic officials who are there on behalf of our Customs. They exchange information with other countries and work on close cooperation with the government and industry in those countries. Their efforts enable them to provide business opportunities for Dutch companies.