2024 Customs Annual Report: More Parcels, Pot, and Arms of Conflict
Anticipated Customs Delivery Surge in 2024: Enhanced Importation of Parcels, Marijuana, and Military-Grade Arms - Enhanced Customs Screening Projections for 2024, Anticipating Increase in Deliveries, Marijuana Smuggling Attempts, and Weapons Importation
Let's dive into the 2024 Customs report, shall we? Here's the scoop, in a nutshell.
Package Deluge from China
Armin Rolfink, the big cheese at the General Customs Administration, spilled the beans. Last year, they were inundated with online trading packages, with a whopping fourfold increase compared to the previous year - reaching an astonishing 235 million customs clearances. And where are most of these packages coming from you ask? You guessed it – ** makes a killer 90%**.
Cheap Goods and Fakes Galore
Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil (SPD) weighed in on the situation. He's concerned about more cheap stuff and falsies making their way into Germany from China. There's a buzz about abolishing the current customs limit of 150 euros, but Klingbeil hasn't voiced his thoughts on the EU Commission's mulling over a flat-rate charge of one to two euros.
Drug Busts: Less Coke, More Marijuana
Like their mission to keep drugs out of our hands, customs officers reported significant drops in seized cocaine (from 39.9 to 16.3 tons) compared to 2023. However, they snatched more marijuana (increase from 8.6 to 12.6 tons). Though Germany partially legalized cannabis use for adults in April 2024, Rolfink doesn't see a connection.
War Arms Interception
Customs didn't just stop at drugs. They've been keeping an eye on weapons of war too, seizing 161 pieces last year, a stark contrast from the 19 they nabbed in the previous year. Their list includes firepower like guided missiles, flamethrowers, and rifle grenades.
Tougher Action Against Black Work
Customs are also responsible for monitorin' black work. In 2024, they inspected 25,274 employers, fewer than the previous year, but initiated and completed a similar number of procedures. Klingbeil wants a tougher stance on the crooks who dip into the general public's pockets, and the Industrial Union of Construction, Agriculture, and Environment agrees.
The German Customs and Finance Union expressed concerns that the protective function of customs is under pressure, citing trade disputes, complex sanctions, and e-commerce as key factors. With growing responsibilities and austere measures, they fear customs might not be able to keep up. Stay tuned for updates!
P.S. If you're curious, Lars Klingbeil is our Finance Minister, China is the top sender of packages, Hamburg and Bremerhaven saw larger drug finds, the SPD is the Social Democratic Party, and Germany's the fortunate destination for these shipments. Meanwhile, the EU Commission is pondering over import monitoring and EU-China trade investigations. We're talkin' 'bout EU customs reforms, potential changes to low-value imports, and crackdowns on counterfeit products.
- In the context of the growing number of packages from China and concerns about cheap goods and counterfeit products, Lars Klingbeil, the Finance Minister, has expressed interest in abolishing the current customs limit of 150 euros and exploring a flat-rate charge of one to two euros for low-value imports, as part of the ongoing EU customs reforms.
- Amidst the increasing responsibilities of customs, such as monitoring black work, complex sanctions, and e-commerce, the German Customs and Finance Union has expressed concerns about the protective function of customs being under pressure, given potential trade disputes and the need for austere measures, which may impact their ability to keep up with the growing demands.
