EU changes tax and customs assistance for member states

International Tax Review is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited, 1-2 Paris Garden, London, SE1 8ND

Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2025

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement

EU changes tax and customs assistance for member states

The European Commission hopes to boost the effectiveness of the Internal Market by reforming how the EU supports cooperation between customs and tax authorities.

The FISCUS initiative amalgamates two separate programmes for tax (Fiscalis 2013) and customs (Customs 2013). It will run for seven years from January 1 2014 with a budget of €777.6 million ($1.1 billion)

Cooperation will mean country-specific assistance where that is needed, networking, joint actions and training, and the funding of IT investment

The FISCUS programme aims to protect the financial interests of the EU and member states, facilitate trade, ensure the safety and security of EU citizens, improve the capacities of customs and tax authorities, and implement relevant EU legislation. In particular, the commission wants to use the programme to combat fraud, reduce administrative burdens and cooperate more with third countries.



more across site & shared bottom lb ros

More from across our site

ITR presents the 50 most influential people in tax from 2025, with world leaders, in-house award winners, activists and others making the cut
Cormann is OECD secretary-general
Woldenberg is CEO of Chicago toymaking company Learning Resources
Lula, as he is commonly known, is Brazil’s president
Agarwal is director for indirect tax operations at shopping mall operator Majid Al Futtaim
Perez is global practice leader of Alvarez & Marsal Tax
Monaghan is CEO of the Fair Tax Foundation
Roth is Luxembourg’s finance minister
Neidle is director of Tax Policy Associates
Zucman is an economist and professor at the Paris School of Economics
Gift this article