Securing Europe, improving Finnish BCP's

ongoing

Finnish Customs has a large number of external EU borders to control: the longest uniform 1340 km border against Russia throughout the EU, as the most important area. Finland being a significant transit country throughout the EU, Customs' control equipment must be at the level that the demanding operating environment requires. EU financial instruments have been used to strengthen customs controls at the external border over the years with excellent results. The new challenges of controls and maintaining the level of customs controls at current levels mean that the control equipment need to be further developed, assisted by EU financial instruments. National investment is unable to meet the constant need and, at worst, the situation could lead to a significant reduction in the level of customs controls. According to recent studies, significant quantities of cigarettes enter the EU territory, especially through the eastern border, causing significant tax losses for almost all EU Member States. Unlike in other Nordic countries, during the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of narcotics have been available on the Finnish market and drug use has even increased. During travel restrictions, more postal, courier and freight traffic has been used in drug smuggling. The aim of the project is to meet the need that customs offices now have. Replacing the ageing control equipment, modernising the equipment to meet current requirements, developing customs control's capability against new threats and, above all, plugging major gaps in customs control at the EU's external border. If fully implemented, the customs offices at Finland's external border will be equipped with modern customs control equipment, thus ready to meet the challenge that customs control of the EU's external border is currently facing. The equipment package of this application will significantly improve the control of imports of highly taxed products into the EU, prevents illicit trafficking of drugs or otherwise danger