In May 2023 the European Commission introduced proposals for a major reform of the EU Customs Union. An EU Customs Data Hub will become the new central digital environment for businesses bringing goods into the EU. This paper uses the lens of digital transformation to try and understand the change of paradigm on data that is behind the introduction of the EU Data Hub.
It is argued that the Data Hub will probably become more than a data-centred space but might step-by-step take over current customs systems functionalities. The Data Hub might in the end be constructed based on (parts of) ICS2 architectures and functionalities. The multiple data filing option, already in place for ICS2, offers a lot of flexibility and resonates well with the current organization and governance of global supply chains. In the end this might lead to a migration towards a customs control system mirroring the global supply chain. This would transform customs supervision into a system that provides real time insights into global supply chain risks, enabling the establishment of secure trade lanes.
Global Trade and Customs Journal