Facilitating Trade:
Improving Customs Risk Management Systems
In the OIC Member States
37
information related to the high risks areas. Risk information exchange is ensuring that
information will assist to identify risks and distributed in a timely and accurate manner. For the
efficient exchange of information, the dataset and messaging standards need to be standardized
and harmonized according to WCO Data Model that defines the standards of
messaging/communication protocols. The types of risk information exchange are following:
 Risk profiles/indicators and selectivity criteria - enforcement targets, high-risk
shipments, modus operandi, etc.;
 Pre-arrival risk assessment;
 Information on AEO;
 Information on high-risk traders/ status for importers;
 Best practices concerning tax compliance, assessment, audit, and investigation.
The EU Member States and the EU Commission has implemented inter-linked automated
support systems for the implementation of risk management in the EU common customs
domain. In this context, the EU Common Customs Risk Management System31 (CRMS) becomes
an essential element in the strategic development and implementation of a CRMF standard in
the CAs of the European Union. The CRMS is designed to be fast, simple and easy to use
exchanging risk related information between customs officials who are best placed to take any
necessary action. The CRMS is providing information on the techniques or methods that can help
to detect such irregularities, i.e., a physical examination or a tariff classification decision. The
customs officials are obliged to enter the feedback (evaluation) form in the CRMS for the actions
taken on the operational or a central level. The feedback is important for the evaluation of the
effectiveness and efficiency of the CRMS. The IT system is based on a centralized architecture.
The EU CRMS has the following functionalities:
 Create, modify and consult risk related information;
 Generate a notification to registered users whenever a risk related information is
created;
 Generate information reports and to produce statistical information.
3.1.3.2 Pre-Arrival Exchange of Information
An additional global trend is the pre-arrival exchange of information that requires electronic
submission of the declaration data and other information to CA before the arrival and before
departure of goods. In such a way CRM can be used to its full potential. The benefits which could
be gained by the CAs are following:
 Acceleration of customs procedures and facilitation of legitimate trade;
 Prevention of undervaluation – revenue collection;
 Promote/improve cross-border communication and cooperation;
 Automated data matching - less documentary and physical control;
 Pre-arrival risk assessment – pre-arrival clearance.
Box 4: SEED – Systematic Electronic Exchange of Data
SEED provides an automatic electronic exchange of data between Customs Administrations in
Western Balkans32 covering Customs Documents: Transit and Export Customs Declarations;
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risk-management-framework-crmf_en
32 Albania (OIC MS), Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia