Good afternoon.

We just concluded a valuable discussion with Finance Ministers on the Customs Union reform package, based on the solid report by the Polish Presidency, showing broad support for this crucial initiative.

To protect our Single Market, we need to modernise how we manage trade at our borders.

The world is changing fast, especially with e-commerce booming – and we need the right tools to keep up.

That is exactly what this Customs Union reform foresees, by establishing the EU Customs Authority and the Customs Data Hub.

These arent just tweaks. They are game changers.

By fully integrating customs data, we will get a clear, unified picture of goods entering the EU.

At its core, this reform ensures customs authorities act as one.

With better data analysis, smarter risk management, and stronger cooperation, we will protect the Single Market at the border more efficiently than ever.

This also means simpler processes for businesses and customs alike, with potential savings of up to 2 billion euros in operational costs every year – as now we have over 110 systems with fragmented data.

Big appreciation of the Polish Presidency for driving 33 meetings in the first half of 2025 – these helped build real consensus on the main points.

Timing matters. I am hopeful co-legislators will lock in a final deal by the end of next year.

Thank you.