The AEO status took legal effect on 1 January 2008.  Since then the customs administrations in the EC received hundreds of applications.  The vast majority of the applications are for a combined customs simplification and safety and security AEO certificate and have been received from a wide range of businesses, including importers, exporters and freight agents.

In the meanwhile, the first applications have completed the authorisation process and AEO certificates have been issued to the successful applicants (a.o. in Denmark, Germany, the UK and the Netherlands).   We expect the number of applications to grow in the coming months.

It is also expected that the benefits of AEO status will increase once mutual recognition agreements are in place.  The EC is currently in negotiation with a number of third countries, with the United States and China taking priority because of the volumes of trade involved.  An agreement has been concluded with the US on strengthened co-operation on security with the US and there are on-going discussions with the US to reach a mutual recognition of our standards.  According to our information the US authorities will expand the C-TPAT certificate with export transactions.  To our opinion this decision will speed up the mutual recognition of the AEO and C-TPAT standards between the US and EU.  Next to this, a pilot project has been started to study the smart and secure trade lanes between the EC and China.

Next to the US and China, Norway and Switzerland are also taking priority due to their shared border with the EC.  It is expected that Norway and Switzerland will introduce AEO or an AEO equivalent regime as a result of new pre-notification rules being introduced in the EU from 1 July 2009.  These rules require information on consignments being imported into the EU to be provided between 1 and 24 hours before the consignment leaves its point of departure.  This rule may have major impact at the borders with Norway and Switzerland as it could cause huge traffic jams and lenghty waiting for customs administrations.