Harmonised EU Commission Monitoring and Management for e-Customs Requirement in e-Government

1. e-EUROPE e-GOVERNMENT e-CUSTOMS A REQUIREMENT FOR HARMONISED EU COMMISSION MONITORING AND MANAGEMENT Jean-marie Parasie Confiad Paneuropean network

2. CONTEXT: e-CUSTOMS VISION STATEMENT e-GOVERNMENT MULTI-ANNUAL STRATEGIC PLAN Current EU diversity paving the way to required examination of EU-wide implementation action and timetable

3. context: -member states committed in the framework of e-Europe and e-Government to achieve e- Customs action plan -   EU Commission vision statement towards   e-Customs highlighting unavoidable need of reliable digital certification and digital  signature -        a matter of concern for safety and financial        -        security reasons (cfr.terrorism and frauds)

4. Context: -exclusiveelectronicdata exchange between customs offices and traders for any purpose a forthcoming compulsory requirement -importers and exporters can lodge summary and customs declarations in electronic form from  premises irrespective of the member state of entry or exit (cfr. megacarriers, megaports and mega-airports=85% of EU cargo) -        therefore new environment with new concepts: -        = centralised clearance  =SEA Single European Authorisation =automated export system =automated import system =Single Window

5. context: …with this regard -selection of good for customs controls at border and inland customs offices based on Community-wide risk analysis criteria electronically exchanged between member states -EU-wide concept of Authorised Economic Operator AEO status and certificates for Security facilitations and customs Simplifications -requirement of common AEO database accessible by customs offices=requirement of common database of digital certification both monitored and managed by Commission

6. context: …with this regard -traders should have access to an information portal and a single electronicaccesspoint for import and export transactions whatever country of entry and exit and even when several agencies are involved ( single window and one stop shop) -all existing and future computerised customs related systems integrated in e-Customs multi-annual strategic plan with the aim of integrated architecture and digital certification (TARIC,NCTS,VIES,EMCS)

7. context: …with this regard -traders should have access to an  information portal and a single electronicaccesspoint for import and export transactions whatever country of entry and exit and even when several agencies are involved ( single window and one stop shop)  -all existing and future computerised customs related systems integrated in e-Customs multi-annual strategic plan with the aim of integrated architecture and digital certification (TARIC,NCTS,VIES,EMCS)

8. context: …than -for reasons of interoperability accessibility confidentiality reliability -the EU Commission should provide a framework for exchange of information and best practices between the member states and the trader community -the EU Commission should promote the definition of the content of the common messages -facilitate the production of common functional and technical specifications -create a common system of trader identification and digitalcertification … for the time being

9. -e-government an ongoing examination   -as many IT systems and digital certification system as member states   -a detrimental diversity requiring examination of task force within customs 2007 program … for the time being -mechanisms of electronic signature are notmuch developed at present because of the absence of appropriate legal framework or because of the high costs and complexity of systems.

10. -only the sector of public finance undoubtedly constitutes the privileged field of intervention of electronic government and the requirement of digital certification -no country would have implemented the passport service offered by Microsoft within the framework of electronic government projects … for the time being -no generalised national or EU-wide use of pincodes and passwords recommended or foreseeable -a world of diversity

11. electronic idenditity cards=ID cards -eventually there should be as many countries having implemented general ID cards as countries having implemented only sector-based cards -electronic identity cards delivered at present in Belgium, Italy and Finland … for the time being -expected in Germany, Sweden, France, Spain and UK (entitlement cards =access to certain online administrative services) -unique card in project =in Portugal recording various types of data on a single card corresponding to various identifiers, one administration being able to have access to data by which it is concerned. (feasibility study in process) -most advanced electronic identity cards projects:

12. Finland Electronic identification card consists in an identity card including photograph of owner and chip recording holder’s authentification certificate, certificate of non repudiation necessary for applications of electronic signature and certificate of population register centre delivering e-number (primarily used for commercial transactions) Finland ID card (without universal identified of the person) secured by a personal identifier (PIN) to be used for access to info networks such as Internet. On top of being an identity card ( as well as a passport or driving license) this card is also useful for electronic identification and electronic signature purposes ( costs 29 euro valid 3 years , extension to 40 euro and valid 5 years…only finnish citizens and 13.OOO adoptions…)

13. Italy -compulsory every citizen -access to national and local public services offering a function of electronic signature and voting on line electronic identity cards obvious first of all certificates of identity of the person access to online administrative procedures (except Germany

14. -identification and authentification in e-trade transactions (undefined in Spain) -function of electronic signature systematically envisaged for online administrative procedures and e-trade applications Different opinions + several elements potentially problematic

15. -determination of nature of data registered on the card -determination of procedures of data processing -determination of the organisations allowed to have access to the various categories of information -respect of individual rights -determination of administrations entitled to decide of nature of data registered in electronic identity card -potential use of electronic identity card for commercial purposes ( on line payment, electronic wallet etc….)

16. Obvious ongoing line of thoughts …as e-government and e-business is a current examination process -digital certificate as electronic counterpart of drivers license, passports , membership cards -digital certificates binding an identity to a pair of electronic keys to be used for encrypting and signing digital information -digital certificate

17. public key owner’s identification digital ID validity dates digital ID certificate number name of certification authority -digital certificate binding public key to individual or organisation certified by CA certification authority -based on public key cryptography

18. some conclusions: -EU-wide harmonised digital certification is a matter of EU global competitiveness (cfr.US) -requirements of harmonised monitoring and management and Commission database

19. -e-europe, e-government and thus e- customs only possible if Single market approach for the time being non existing jean-marie Parasie