Customs Information System

What is the Customs Information System?

The Customs Information System ("CIS") was created with the Council Regulation of 13 March 1997.

The CIS is a computerized system centralizing customs information, which enables a more efficient prosecution and investigation of violations of customs or agricultural legislation.

The CIS is intended to enable national customs administrations to exchange and disseminate information about smuggling and requests for intervention. Its aim is to assist in the investigation and prosecution of serious violations of national law increasing the efficiency of supervision and cooperation procedures of the Member States' customs administrations.

The CIS consists of two databases, one of which for European Union actions, the other for intergovernmental actions.

The legal basis of the intergovernmental database, viz. the Convention on the use of information technology for customs purposes (CIS Convention), details the procedures to be followed for the use of information technologies for customs purposes. It describes the broad parameters for information storage, the way in which the information can be modified, the security systems and contains provisions concerning data protection.

Is there supervision of the personal data processed in the Customs Information System?

Article 18 of the CIS Convention sets up a Joint Supervisory Authority of Customs, composed of two representatives of the data protection authority or authorities of each Member State that has signed the abovementioned Convention, including the Commission for the Protection of Privacy.

The Joint Supervisory Authority is in charge of:

  • supervising CIS operation;
  • studying all application or interpretation difficulties that are likely to come up while the system is operative;
    - looking into problems likely to come up while the system is operative;
  • looking into problems likely to come up during an independent inspection carried out by the Member States' national supervisory authorities or during the exercise of the rights of access to the system granted to individuals;
  • drawing up proposals aiming at common solutions to problems.