Dutch Customs - Mission and responsibilities
The primary task of the Customs Administration of the Netherlands is to supervise the cross-border movement of goods. Our strategic objectives are:
- Tax levy and collection
- Protection
- Competitive position
Tax payment
We levy and collect import duties, VAT and excise duties, and monitor compliance with the fiscal obligations relating to these. We pay the duties collected to:
- the European Union (customs duties)
- the Dutch treasury (excise duties and VAT)
Protection
In our role as an enforcement agency, we protect the society from unsafe and undesirable goods, focusing on the following aspects:
- Safety
- Environment
- Flora and fauna
- Health
- Culture
- Economy
The basic principle is that unsafe or undesirable goods should not enter or leave the EU, or only do so under certain conditions. If any authorizations are required, they are issued by the Central Import and Export Service (CDIU). This department within Dutch Customs works partly on behalf of other ministries, which instruct the Customs Administration to carry out tasks for which they bear policy responsibility.
Competitive position
We help to boost the competitive position of the Netherlands and the European Union by:
- monitoring compliance with European measures for market regulation
- promoting fast and efficient customs clearance procedures
