A notice of meeting published by the Council of the European Union schedules a meeting of the Jurists/Linguists Group for 13 July 2026 at 10:00 in Brussels to finalise the legal and linguistic text of the Regulation establishing the Union Customs Code and the European Union Customs Authority, which will repeal the current Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 (document JL ST 8190/26 INIT).
The meeting marks the final stage of legal-linguistic scrutiny before the regulation can be adopted. Comments on the English language version were due to the President and EN team by 22 June 2026 at 17:00, while comments on any other language version must be sent to the relevant DQL team by 9 July 2026 at 17:00; later comments may not be considered. During the meeting, only the base language text is discussed and finalised; other languages are aligned based on accepted comments. Delegates are instructed to follow the specific pagination of the base language text, use the version with track changes, and remove the "balloon view" function.
The new Union Customs Code aims to modernise customs procedures and establish a centralised EU Customs Authority, replacing the current code from 2013. The regulation has been under negotiation for several years, with the European Parliament and Council reaching a political agreement in 2025. The legal-linguistic finalisation is the last step before formal adoption by the Council, expected later in 2026.
EU customs authorities and businesses will face new compliance requirements under the updated code, including digitalised procedures and centralised oversight by the new Authority. National customs administrations will need to adapt to the new institutional framework, potentially shifting some competencies to the EU level. The regulation aims to streamline customs processes, reducing delays for traders, but may impose initial adaptation costs. The new Authority will have enhanced supervisory powers, affecting both member states and economic operators.