The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union have agreed on a detailed procedure to choose the host country for the future European Customs Authority, a new decentralised agency aimed at strengthening customs coordination across the bloc.
The draft selection method is expected to receive formal approval in the coming days. The authority is scheduled to be established in 2026 and become operational by 2028.
Several countries have submitted bids to host the new body, including Belgium, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal and Romania. During a committee meeting in January, all nine candidates presented their proposals, with Spain, France, Poland and the Netherlands drawing the majority of questions from lawmakers.
No Predefined Selection Method
EU institutions decided to create a specific selection process because there is no existing framework for determining the host of a new agency. The location of EU bodies often becomes politically sensitive, prompting lawmakers to design a structured and balanced voting system.
Under the draft procedure, the European Parliament and the Council will each independently shortlist two preferred candidates. The two institutions will then meet in a joint session to disclose their selections.
If at least one candidate appears on both shortlists, that country will automatically be chosen as host.
Multi-Round Voting System
If there is no overlap between the shortlists, two or four candidates will advance to a series of up to three voting rounds, each governed by specific rules.
In the first round, a candidate must secure a majority in both institutions to be elected immediately. If no candidate achieves this, the process moves forward depending on vote distribution. In a four-candidate scenario, the two with the fewest votes will be eliminated. In closely contested cases, three candidates may proceed to the next stage.
The second round involves a joint vote by both institutions. A candidate must obtain a three-quarters majority to win. If that threshold is not met, the process moves to a third round.
In the final round, the required majority is lowered to two-thirds. The vote may be repeated up to three times. If no candidate secures the necessary support after these attempts, the threshold will be reduced to a simple majority.
Growing Importance of Customs Policy
The creation of the European Customs Authority comes at a time when customs management and trade oversight have gained renewed attention globally. Increased tariff measures and shifting trade policies have intensified discussions around EU trade coordination.
The new authority will support and coordinate national customs administrations, aiming to improve enforcement, efficiency and information sharing across member states.
The final decision on the host country will follow the agreed procedure once formal approval is granted.
