French Customs FOREWORD
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PROTECTION through action 2018 Results 2018 RESULTS CONTENTS 04 KEY FIGURES 06 HIGHLIGHTS FIGHTING ILLICIT TRAFFICKING 08 PROMOTING BUSINESS 16 COMPETITIVENESS LEADING THE TRANSFORMATION OF GOVERNMENT ACTION 22 APPENDICES BASIC FACTS ABOUT 26 FRENCH CUSTOMS FOREWORD Gérald Darmanin, across the entire territory, while also harnessing Minister for innovation to prepare for the challenges that lie Government Action ahead. and Public Accounts I am very proud to present the annual report for 2018 and showcase our achievements in combating illicit trafficking, engaging with a trust-based society, preparing for Brexit and commencing the transformation of our government action. Furthermore, Customs has built up the trust of businesses with the twin goal of transparency and ne year ago, I set a priority for simplification. It was one of the first government Customs to combat tobacco departments to implement the new law for a smuggling in support of the public trust-based society and has fully incorporated health policy advocated by the the new measures – the right to make a mistake, President and the Prime Minister. rulings and the right to a request a review – into Against a backdrop of rising tobacco its audit and review procedures. prices, all forms of tobacco trafficking were in our sights as we moved to 2018 was also shaped by our transformation. Oprotect the health of French citizens, safeguard We reorganised the Directorate General and the resources of the social security system and overhauled our coordination of the Customs preserve tobacconists’ distribution monopoly network, in addition to our human resources in France. policy and our airborne and maritime strategy. We also redefined the scope of the National Our Customs officers rose to the challenge. Customs Judicial Department. These moves all Backed by tougher laws, our officers ramped testify to our ability to use innovation to meet the up controls all over the French territory: at land challenges of international trade and the shifting borders, in ports, airports and train stations, in landscape of fraud. postal sorting centres and on the Internet. In 2019, our efforts will intensify as we witness We also stepped up our presence in urban and major changes in the EU Customs Union with peri-urban areas to stop retailers and street the return of a third-country border. sellers from engaging in illicit tobacco sales. Our Customs has chosen to prepare early for the focus has been on all forms of trafficking and all new situation as we ready our departments and types of tobacco. assist economic operators. We have developed Increased mobilisation has led to a higher number an innovative border management solution to keep of seizures and fines. Courts have handed trade flowing between France and the United down prison sentences for heavy trafficking by Kingdom in keeping with the protection rules organised gangs. for the EU territory. Customs has engaged in a Meanwhile, Customs has continued to work regional information campaign to help businesses tirelessly to protect the French territory and our prepare for Brexit as they reorganise their value fellow citizens. Customs officers have remained chains and logistics processes. steadfast in their efforts to combat illicit trafficking, I am confident that Customs officers will rise to keep trade flowing seamlessly and drive the these challenges with strength and commitment economic competitiveness of our businesses in the service of the public interest. 4 2018 RESULTS KEY FIGURES (% change vs. 2017) ENFORCEMENT > FINANCIAL FRAUD AND TAX EVASION > SMUGGLED TOBACCO €49.2m in criminal assets seized or identifi ed by the National Customs Judicial 16,171 Department (SNDJ), of which €48.8m in france and citations €400,000 abroad (14,048 en 2017) (+15.1%) 241.1 tons > NARCOTICS seized STOP in France (+1. 2%) DRUGS > NATURAL HERITAGE > WEAPONS 49.1 tons 97.4 tons seized seized abroad based on in France and in intelligence provided international waters by French Customs (+47.4%) (+45.3%) 433 including including citations issued 1,363 for violations of endangered fi rearms plant and animal species legislation seized (+42.3%) 12.2 tons 63.9 tons 16.1 tons 33 tons (-10.5%) of cocaine of cannabis of cocaine of cannabis (+32.6%) (+38.6%) (+6.6%) (+77.4%) > COUNTERFEITS > CONSUMER PROTECTION 5.4m 6.7m counterfeit toys inspected items seized (+4.7%) (-35.7%) 5 CUSTOMS CLEARANCE AND TAXATION ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES 2’32’’ Average time that goods are €84bn immobilised collected (13 minutes in 2004) (+57%) > CUSTOMS CERTIFICATION 39 85% cents, Customs user the cost of collecting 1,673 €100 in customs AEOs* satisfaction rate duties and taxes (+5.6%) > TAX EVASION 2,412 313.4m businesses in taxes and provided with duties reassessed N°2 in Europe advice by French (+16.7%) Customs’ Economic * Authorised Economic Operator Action Centres HUMAN RESOURCES 87% Overall rate 16,947 of paperless customs clearance FTE (full-time equivalent positions as at 31 December 2018) * Opérateur Économique Agréé Agréé Économique Opérateur * (3 rang européen) rang e 6 2018 RESULTS HIGHLIGHTS MARCH • Gérald Darmanin travels to Andorra to sign a deal to strengthen cooperation in combating tobacco smuggling • French Customs participate in the SiTL Transport & Logistics Innovation Week trade show JANUARY • The National Customs Judicial Department (SNDJ) and the MAY • The Hendaye Customs unit fi nds Gendarmerie dismantle a cigarette €260,000 concealed in a car driving smuggling ring in Lyon. 2.4 tons of The Nice Customs coast guard to Spain cigarettes and €75,000 in small patrol boat rescues 71 people in the notes are seized Mediterranean as part of an operation Fréjus Customs offi cers intercept for Frontex 2 tons of smuggled cigarettes in two Archaeological looting: the Polish vehicles Strasbourg Customs unit seizes • Sète Customs offi cials intercept an 1,000 ancient artefacts with the attempt to illegally export 24.6 tons • The World Customs Organisation assistance of the Regional Cultural of automotive waste to Togo chooses offi cial slogan for 2018: Aff airs Directorate • Montpellier Customs offi cials detect «A secure business environment for 1 ton of cannabis in a shipload of economic development» oranges. Four tons of citrus fruits are donated to the «Les Restos du cœur» charity FEBRUARY APRIL • French Customs participates in the Salon des Entrepreneurs trade show • Narbonne Customs offi cers seize • Boulogne-sur-Mer Customs offi cers 4 tons of cannabis in two weeks uncover 500 weapons, 100 kg of • Gérald Darmanin travels to Le ammunition and explosives Havre to brief the Customs unit and JUNE operators on the various Brexit • Gérald Darmanin signs a A fi rst in France: the National memorandum of understanding scenarios Directorate for Customs with the French Confederation of Clubs for Authorised Economic Intelligence and Investigations Tobacconists for the transformation Operators open in Brittany and (DNRED) dismantles «Black Hand», of the network of tobacconists Besançon one of the largest illegal dark web • Marne-la-Vallée Customs offi cers marketplaces selling drugs, weapons uncover a painting by Edgar Degas, «Les and fake documents Choristes», which had been stolen from the • French Customs and the European Cantini Museum in Marseille in 2009 Anti-Fraud Offi ce (OLAF) present the 24 athletes from the France results of Operation OCTOPUS II, Douane team compete in the Winter which involved gathering intelligence to Olympic and Paralympic Games in identify criminal networks. Pyeongchang Seizure of 500,000 counterfeit items 7 JULY NOVEMBER • 3rd Speed Meeting for businesses • French Customs takes part in the with the Entreprise du patrimoine Made in France trade fair vivant (EPV) label abroad • The Lyon Customs Judicial unit French Customs officers march dismantles an extensive VAT fraud down the Champs-Elysées on 14 July ring in the car retailing industry (Bastille Day). French Customs will 311 protected reptiles are seized now take part each year in the in Arras in an operation involving the national parade SEPTEMBER National Game and Wildlife Agency, the • Dunkirk Customs officers seize Département Directorate for Citizen/ 10 tons of smuggled cigarettes Customs officers from the Le Havre Consumer Protection and Veterinary 752 kg of cocaine found in a container from Dakar targeting unit find Services and French Customs hidden in a container in a rip-off case • Yannick Borel, a fencer for the • The Club for Authorised Fighting fraud : the France Douane team, becomes world A seminar on « Economic Operators opens in the end of the taboo champion in Wuxi, China », is held at Bercy greater Paris region while the bill on combating tax fraud 1.5 tons of cocaine • The Lyon Customs unit uncovers • is was being considered by the French €544,780 in small notes (24,500 intercepted by the Saint-Martin parliament Customs vessel notes) AUGUST • The French Act for a trust-based society (ESSOC) is published in the Official Journal DECEMBER A joint operation with the National OCTOBER • Galeries Lafayette Haussmann is Criminal Investigation Department leads • French Customs takes part in the approved as a VAT refund operator to 5 tons of counterfeit goods being BPI Inno Génération entrepreneurial • Dunkirk Customs officers and the seized in the Paris region event at AccorHotels Arena at Bercy DNRED seize 21 tons of shisha • Gérald Darmanin congratulates tobacco Lille Customs investigators on seizing «Business Café» event in Paris 11 tons of smuggled shisha on Brexit tobacco • The «Brexit : Customs clearance made easy» information campaign is launched to help operators prepare for Brexit • The French Anti-Fraud Act is published in the Official Journal 8 2018 RESULTS 01 FIGHTING illicit trafficking FIGHTING ILLICIT TRAFFICKING 9 PLAYING A CENTRAL ROLE IN THE POLICY TO COMBAT TOBACCO TRAFFICKING ustoms has worked in accordance with the goals of the national tobacco control programme unveiled on 23 January 2018 by the Minister for Government Action and Public Accounts and the Minister for Solidary and Health.