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The European Commission (EC) has adopted a proposal for the FISCUS initiative, which merges separate programmes for taxation and customs.
It is scheduled to run for seven years from January 2014, with the intention of supporting the co-operation between customs and tax authorities and other parties, to help maximise efficiency and avoid mismatches in work that could hinder the internal market.
The FISCUS programme (which is the successor of the current Fiscalis 2013 and Customs 2013 arrangements) also provides the possibility of country-specific assistance when challenges call for it.
It will facilitate networking, joint actions and training among tax and customs personnel, while funding IT systems to enable the development of fully fledged e-administrations in customs and tax.
The objectives of the plan are to protect the financial interests of the European Union (EU) and member states, facilitate trade, ensure the safety and security of EU citizens, improve the capacities of customs and tax authorities, and implement EU legislation in those fields.
Having assessed the challenges for the years ahead, the EC proposes that particular focus is also given to fighting fraud, reducing administrative burdens and co-operating with third countries.
According to the commission, FISCUS is not intended to create further harmonisation of national tax systems. Rather, it will help in the co-ordination of the national tax systems and ensure EU economies are based on quality taxation.
