Mutual assistance between the Member States for application of the law on customs and agricultural matters

OBJECTIVE: to strengthen the provisions of Regulation 1468/81/EEC which currently governs mutual assistance between the administrative authorities of the Member States and cooperation between the latter and the Commission to ensure the correct application of the law on customs or agricultural matters.

COMMUNITY MEASURE: Council Regulation 515/97/EC.

SUBSTANCE: the regulation lays down the conditions under which the administrative authorities responsible for implementation of the legislation on customs and agricultural matters in the Member States are to cooperate with each other and with the Commission in order to ensure compliance with that legislation within the framework of a Community system. To this end the regulation establishes an automated information system, known as the 'Customs Information System' (CIS) the aim of which is to assist in preventing, investigating and prosecuting operations which are in breach of customs or agricultural legislation through more rapid dissemination of information. The CIS consists of a central data base facility and is accessible via terminals in each Member State and at the Commission. It comprises data necessary to fulfil its aim, including personal data, in the following categories: commodities; means of transport; businesses; persons; fraud trends; availability of expertise. Each CIS partner intending to receive personal data from, or include them in, the CIS shall, no later than the date of application of this Regulation, adopt national legislation, or internal rules with a view to guaranteeing the protection of personal data.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 16/03/1997. The regulation will be applicable from 13/03/1998.The provisions on the protection of data during the non-automatic exchange of data will not apply to Denmark, Ireland the United Kingdom and Sweden until Community rules exist applicable to all the data covered by the regulation.