R ALFH

Contact group of customs managers of northern ports EU

Nieuwsbrief • Bulletin d’information • Newsletter • Informationsblatt

Preface
At the end of the Customs 2002 programme, this fourth and also last RALFH newsletter sees the light…
Why…the last one? Not because of the fact that the RALFH project will be ended; on the contrary there are a lot of new challenges to the area of
"level playing field" under the Customs 2007 programme. For that reason we have decided to bring you RALFH news more regularly via the public
website from the Taxation and Customs Union DG. That gives us also the possibility to deal information with you about the other contact groups of
customs managers, ODYSSUD( southern ports ) and ICARUS (airports). So from 2003 on, you will find news about all these three contact groups on
this website:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/taxation_customs/customs/information_notes/c2007/c2007.htm

In order to co-operate more clo-

sely with the front line customs
officials from Candidate
Countries, an invitation tot parti-
cipate in the group has been
extended to Poland and as a
result, the port of Szczecin has
also become a member of the
RALFH group.

I want to thank my colleague Mr.

Henk Sierat from Rotterdam
Customs for putting so much
effort in all these four glossy
paper RALFH editions.

In this short issue you can expect

the following subjects:
- Recommendations and agreed
actions from the Monitoring
Group " process of entry ".
- Note from Mr. Wiedow, Director
Customs Policy EU Commission,
about the impact of RALFH.
- Some news about the Co-ordi-
nation and management of the
RALFH Contact Group
- Changes to the RALFH contacts.

You know, if you have any

questions about the issues of
RALFH etc. don’t hesitate to con-
tact me.

Your RALFH coordinator,

Jaap Everwijn.

Rotterdam • Antwerpen • Le Havre • Felixstowe • Hamburg

 R ALFH
The impact of RALFH

I am very pleased to have the

opportunity to thank those
who have participated in the
work of the RALFH contact
group over the last two years.
Since this project began in
March 2000, there has been a
significant amount of work put
into ensuring that this contact
group should achieve practical
results in co-operation between
customs administrations at the
external frontier of the EU.

There have been some notable results of this initiative, not the least of
which has been the rapid exchange of risk information which has resul-
ted in an increased level of control results in the other ports of the
group. Exchanges between the ports of officials working with contai-
ner scanners have already taken place and work is ongoing in increa-
sing the exchange of control information in the use of scanners. The
initiative has also seen a detailed comparison published of activities in
the ports, which is proving highly useful in identifying areas of mutual
interest for further co-operation and the agreement of common objec-
tives.
As we look to the future, and with the increasing emphasis on impro-
ving security, the need for front line customs officials - especially those
operating at key transport hubs - to work together has never been gre-
ater. Your joint efforts are essential to the protection of the Community
and its citizens from security and other risks.
Future actions will definitely focus more on security matters and I hope
that customs in the RALFH ports will continue to play an important role
in promoting practical co-operation between the ports. The
Community needs strong and consistent customs controls at all points
and more than ever a common customs response is required. At the
same time, enlargement will bring both new responsibilities and new
players into the equation. This will increase the importance of joint
efforts and highlight the need to make the best use of the opportuni-
ties offered by Customs programmes to bring colleagues together to
resolve common problems.
Co-ordination and management of the RALFH Contact
Group.
The RALFH contact group is funded under the framework of the
Customs 2002 programme and is looking to support actions designed
to help customs officials co-operate more closely and effectively.
Each port has a nominated contact responsible for the co-ordination
and co-operation at both a local and national level as well as for
exchanging information and co-ordinating specific initiatives between
the ports. The list of contacts is printed below.
Mr. Jaap Everwijn, who many of you may already know, is no longer the
contact point for Rotterdam. He will continue to work with RALFH in a
new capacity as contact group co-ordinator and will have responsibili-
ty for working for all the ports in moving forward specific initiatives.
Jaap will also act as contact group co-ordinator for both the ODYSSUD
Southern ports group and the major EU airports contact group. His
experience as a port contact will prove invaluable in building a sustai-
nable and dynamic relationship between the major ports and airports
of the EU.
Following a recent re-organisation of duties within DG TAXUD. Mr. Jos
Hupperetz is no longer the EU Commission secretary with the RALFH
group. His place has been taken by Mr. Robert Murphy
Robert and Jaap are looking forward to building on the results and
contacts already firmly established within the group.

Finally I would like to use this newsletter to thank all those officials Mr. John Pulford
who have actively participated in this initiative over the past two years. Taxation and Customs Union DG
On behalf of RALFH: a happy and prosperous 2003.

It is due to your dedication and commitment that the action has been
successful and I would like to wish you every success in continuing this
initiative under the framework of the new Customs 2007 programme.

Mr. Alexander Wiedow,

European Commission,
Directorate General Taxation and Customs Union,
Customs Policy.

RALFH
Contact: Telephone no: Fax no: Port:
Mr.BertWiersema (+31-10)2904774 (+31-10)2904705 Rotterdam
Changes to RALFH Contacts Mr.WillyBoden (+32-3)2292206 (+32-3)232 2285 Antwerp
Mr.PatriceJimenez (+33-2)35195102 (+33-2)35195148 le Havre
Hamburg Mr Günther Losse has handed over his RALFH authorities Mr,Andy Darke (+44-1394)303005 (+44-1394)303333 Felixstowe
to Mr. Manfred Lindloff. Günther, many thanks ! Herrn Manfred Lindloff (+49-40)74181253 (+49-40)74181362 Hamburg
Rotterdam Mr. Bert Wiersema is the new contactpoint for Rotterdam
Szczecin (Stetin) Mr. Michal Lekszycki is also a new member of this Mr.Michal Lekszycki (+48-91)4805676 (+48-91)4805675 Szczecin
group, see the preface. Mr. Robert Murphy (+32-2)2952632 (+32-2)2965404 EU. Commission

RALFH • nr. 4 • December 2002

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